Not a great start. Finland lost their opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off to the United States 6-1, placing them in sole possession of last place. The Finns hung in there for the first two periods, actually scoring the first goal of the contest, but the Americans took control quickly. What were some takeaways for Finland?
Finland’s Lack of Puck-Moving Defense Proves Detrimental
Miro Heiskanen went down with an injury for the Dallas Stars a couple of weeks before the 4 Nations Face-Off. Losing one of the best defensemen in the sport on an already thin blue line went about as well as you’d think—not at all.
Related: Guide to the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off
When taking a quick look at Finland’s defense, one thing sticks out: the lack of puck-movers. Anyone can limit scoring opportunities within the defensive zone, but not anyone can come away with the puck and move it up the ice. Every team in this tournament has the ammo to do this pretty easily, except for the Finns. The final score is not shocking.
Now, Finland had some good exit sequences. One even led to their only goal. The unfortunate reality, though, is that it’s pretty hard to replicate regularly, given the talent of their roster. The majority of the team struggled in this area, and no one really stood out positively.
FINLAND STRIKES FIRST!!! 🇫🇮
Henri Jokiharju opens the scoring! #4Nations | @BuffaloSabres
pic.twitter.com/MXZiDfjUop— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) February 14, 2025
Even in a tournament with the best of the best, goals are scored on the rush quite frequently. Creating in-zone opportunities is easier when Auston Matthews is on the ice, complemented by Jack Hughes and Jake Guentzel, but rushes still dominate. Finland being unable to get going in this department is not the fault of the coaching staff, nor is it an underperforming issue—they’re just asking too much from players who can’t reasonably provide what the team needs.
It’s important to note that Finland was flat-out beaten in this one, as puck-moving doesn’t account for two power-play goals against. Still, the United States played more confidently on the forecheck because the transition game from the Finns was non-existent. When a team can’t make you pay for playing aggressively on offense, you come at them like a freight train—the Americans understood the assignment.
Finland’s Special Teams Will Need Work
The little things add up. Finland’s power play…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…