HELSINKI, 1 September 2004 — A goal and assist from Dallas center Niko Kapanen helped power Finland to a surprising 4-0 win over the Czech Republic in the opening match of the World Cup of Hockey tournament on Monday.
Finland set the early tempo with Saku Koivu, Teemu Selanne and Jere Lehtinen repeatedly swarming the Czech net and pressuring Nashville Predators goaltender Tomas Vokoun into a number of saves.
The Finns’ aggressive approach paid off at 6:33 when a diving Jukka Hentunen tapped in a pass from Kapanen to open the scoring.
The Czechs rarely threatened in the first period and while Colorado winger Milan Hejduk looked dangerous at times, Finnish goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, who led Calgary to within one game of winning last season’s Stanley Cup, was rarely tested, stopping the meager five shots the Czechs could muster.
After a lackluster second period, Finland came alive early in the third when Lehtinen knocked the puck loose behind the Czech net, and Koivu circled out in front and tucked it under Vokoun only 30 seconds into the period.
Less than five minutes later a shot from the blue line by defensemen Sami Salo was tipped by Kapanen past Vokoun.
Finland rounded out the scoring four minutes later when Mikko Eloranta banged a rebound into the top of the Czech net.
The Czechs only mustered 12 shots for the whole game, with Vokoun named their player of the match after turning aside 30 shots.
The tournament is being held for just the second time. The United States won the inaugural event in 1996.
Germany were to meet Sweden in Stockholm, while the US and Canada clash in the first match of the North American group in Montreal yesterday.
