Finland needed a response after its opener, and it got one against Sweden with a 4-1 win in Milan. The Finnish Lions scored twice in the first period, absorbed Sweden’s push early in the second, and separated the game with a shorthanded goal before closing it out with an empty-netter late.
Saros Set the Tone After a Rough Start
Juuse Saros looked sharp from the opening minutes and gave Finland the kind of game management it lacked earlier in the tournament. He finished with 34 saves and one goal against, and the postgame studio reaction pointed to him as the biggest reason Finland banked three points.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Finland’s 4-1 Loss to Slovakia at the 2026 Milan Olympics
The third period was the clearest example. Sweden owned large stretches of zone time and piled up shots on goal in the final frame, but Finland stayed compact through the middle, and Saros handled the first save cleanly. Finland did not need scramble hockey because its goalie kept rebounds from turning into second and third chances.
Finland Won With Depth, Not Its Headliners
Finland’s best work came from the middle and bottom of the lineup.
Nikolas Matinpalo, a late lineup addition, opened the scoring in the first period, and Anton Lundell doubled the lead before the intermission. Sweden pushed back early in the second, but Finland got separation at 32:47 when Joel Armia scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-1. Joel Armia, so far, is one of Finland’s best players through the first two Olympic games, and you can tell his confidence is building shift to shift.
The finishing touch came late with Mikko Rantanen’s empty-net goal to make it 4-1. That goal mattered for the standings, but the game was decided earlier by Finland’s role players converting their minutes into real leverage.
The Paul Maurice Story Made This Game Interesting
The day started with noise around the Finnish bench, including reporting that leading NHL players discussed bringing Paul Maurice into the Olympic coaching mix last summer. It is a major vote of skepticism in Antti Pennanen’s direction, and it hovered over this matchup.
There have been doubts about Pennanen in the past after the 4 Nations Face-Off. The players had such a negative experience with him that they talked about getting a replacement for the upcoming Olympics. Maurice was the name that was brought up. It seemed that the Finnish Hockey Association did not entertain the offer, and general manager (GM) Jere Lehtinen was aware of the discussions.
Though the Finnish players ended up under Pennanen again for the Olympics, it brings up even more ideas when the Finns lose key matches or questionable choices are made with the lineups.
On the ice, Finland played a controlled, low-risk game that fit a group trying to steady itself. They looked calm and slightly ahead of Sweden in most areas, and the win bought breathing room even while the broader questions remain.
This performance also underlined what still needs fixing. As I mentioned in my previous takeaway article, Finland’s top line, Rantanen, Mikael Granlund, and Roope Hintz, only opened their point totals via the empty-netter and still had not scored on a goalie through two games, with the top power-play unit still without a goal. Finland can win games with structure and depth, but it is hard to live on that alone once the tournament shifts into single-elimination.
Finland Faces the Olympic Home Team Next
Finland got the response it needed. The next step is getting its best names to drive the game before it reaches empty-net time. Finland will return tomorrow versus Italy on Feb. 14.
