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NAHL U.S. National Team

Finland Tops Germany, 7-3, in Day Two Action at Toys for Tots Four Nations Cup

December 30, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Team Finland netted three power-play goals and received a 27-save performance from netminder Rasmus Rinne en route to a 7-3 victory over Team Germany in Day Two action at the 2007 Toys for Tots Four Nations Cup.

For the second straight day, Toni Rajala gave Finland a 1-0 lead after one period of play when he found the back of the net at the 12:35 mark. Rajala took a feed from Tommi Taimi and carried the puck along the left boards before putting a wrist shot under German goaltender Felix Bruckmann's glove from the outside edge of the left faceoff circle.

An action-packed second period saw four goals scored, with three of them belonging to Finland. Ilmari Pitkanen gave the Finns a 2-0 advantage at 5:59 when he banged home the rebound of a Juha Korkeamaki shot that bounced straight up into the air and landed just outside the crease.

Germany cut its deficit in half at 7:58 thanks to a strong forecheck by Simon Fischhaber. With Germany on a power play, Fischhaber was able to tip the puck away from a Finnish defender, skate around him and recover the loose puck before putting a shot over Rinne's left shoulder.

The Finns would light up the scoreboard twice more before the second intermission. Pekka Jormakka picked up a loose puck in front of the German goal and buried a high wrist shot at 12:36 before Joonas Rask extended Finland's lead to 4-1 with 1:06 remaining in the middle frame on a one-timer from the low slot.

Fischhaber again showed his quickness early in the third period, as he intercepted a Finnish cross-ice pass near the blue line and skated in on a breakaway before sneaking the puck just under the crossbar to make it a 4-2 contest at the 6:08 mark.

The teams would then combine for three goals within a 59-second flurry, with Rajala netting his second tally of the night on a rebound at 14:25, Germany's Jerome Flaake notching a goal nine seconds later and Finland's Sami Blomqvist answering back at 15:24.

Pitkanen added his second goal of the night at 17:19 to ice the game for Finland.

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