Vancouver Canucks prospect Tom Willander misses out on a shot at World Junior gold after a controversial loss to Finland in the semifinals.
Vancouver Canucks prospect Tom Willander won't be playing for gold at the 2025 World Junior Championship after Sweden 's heartbreaking loss to Finland in the semifinals. The worst part is that Willander could only look on from the penalty box as the game-winning goal was scored. It was a hard-fought game between the two Nordic rivals but it was marred by one of the worst penalty calls you'll ever see at any level, let alone in overtime of a medal-round game in an international tournament.
The game shouldn't have ended in such a controversial fashion, as it was shaping up to be a classic. After a cagey first period where neither team could find the back of the net, they traded goals in the second period, with Finland coming out on top 3-2 after outshooting Sweden 20-to-10 in the middle frame. Sweden's Otto Stenberg opened the scoring with a perfect snipe on a 2-on-1, then Emil Hemming responded just a second after a power play ended for Finland. After another Finnish goal was overturned on a coach's challenge for offside, Finland took the lead on a proper power play goal, the first lead given up by Sweden all tournament. Willander was on the ice for that goal, unable to get back to disrupt Jesse Kiiskanen before he could tap-in a deflected shot that landed on his stick. After Stenberg tied the game 2-2 on a Swedish power play, Willander was again on the ice for a goal against, though it was hardly his fault. After he stepped up at the blueline, his defence partner Theo Lindstein and forward David Edstrom both allowed Arttu Alasiurua to drive to the net behind him to shovel in the puck. The two goals against were not reflective of how well Willander played. He played a whopping 29:17 in the game, just a minute behind Axel Sandin-Pellikka for the most in the game. The puck was rarely in the defensive zone when he was on the ice, as he was adept at killing plays along the boards and eliminating rushes, then quickly turning the puck back up ice in transitio
HOCKEY WORLD JUNIORS SWEDEN FINLAND TOM WILLANDER
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