U-18 WJC: Disappointing Finnish

The performance of the Finnish team ranks among the disappointments of the 2005 Under-18 WJC. The Finns battled serious problems on D thanks to several key defensemen that underachieved and the offensive power just wasn't adequately spread among all four lines. One saving grace was certainly the play of Tuukka Rask in net, while Juho Mielonen's game noticeably improved from the U-18 Junior Cup. Jesse Joensuu started slowly for Finland, but still managed to show why he's got pro potential.

RAVING ABOUT RASK

If it wasn't for the heroics of netminder Tuukka Rask, the Finnish team would have faced serious relegation problems. Rask kept his squad in the opening two contests against Switzerland and USA as he continued to anticipate the plays well and make the difficult saves look easy. He was tested by many quality chances in the game against the USA and left a good impression in the early stages of the tournament, thanks in part to his calmness.

Rask couldn't withstand the offensive raids of the Czech team in the third game though and he allowed six goals – thanks in part to a lack of defensive support. Rask regained his confidence after this off-game and carried his squad through the final match against Slovakia and the relegation group, keeping Finland in the elite group of the Under-18 World Championships.

MIELONEN SEIZES OPPORTUNITY

With expected anchor Teemu Laakso's defensive breakdown and general underachievement in this tournament, the lone bright spot on the Finnish defense turned out to be Juho Mielonen. Mielonen showed improvement in his skating from the Under-18 Junior Cup in August, appearing both more fluid and more laterally mobile. Those upgrades helped him support the offense with crisp, long outlet passes that hit their mark.

Mielonen played very well in the tournament opener against Switzerland and looked decent in the following contest against the USA, but he really didn't distribute the puck effectively. He had his ups and downs overall and he couldn't avoid ill-timed plays and the occasional lack of aggressiveness. In general though, he was the only Finnish blueliner to get a solid rating from this tournament.

SLOWLY WARMED UP

Up front, heralded 2006-eligible prospect Jesse Joensuu had a slow start to the tournament but later became a dominating offensive power for the Finns in the match-ups against the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the early stages of the tournament Joensuu looked awkward and wasn't catching up to the pace of the game. After he finally found his confidence in the third match he showed his belligerent style and quality offensive awareness. Joensuu made good use of his size and out-powered opponents to get to scoring chances while also being helpful on the back end. He impressed the scouting community during the two games of the relegation group, but didn't consistently show the same level of intensity. All in all though, he was still able to prove his considerable pro potential in this tournament.

TOOLS ARE THERE

Lanky Finnish forward Mikko Lehtonen had a similarly uninspiring start to the tournament as Joensuu, struggling somewhat against Switzerland and the USA. Although Lehtonen found his way in the dark hour of the Finnish defense against the Czech Republic, he wasn't as dominant as Joensuu. Lehtonen never really made full use of his excellent stick-handling ability, which is really his strongest offensive weapon. He didn't crash the net with authority because he still needs to bulk up his gangly frame, but as the tournament progressed Lehtonen did emerge as a valuable passer. He blossomed in the relegation games against weaker opponents and became more and more accustomed to international play. Lehtonen possesses the tools to develop into a solid pro player, but he will need patience in his development for that to happen.

LINDGREN CONSISTENT

The other notable Finnish forward was Perttu Lindgren, who served as a valuable and hard-working asset to the lineup. Unlike the big names on the Finnish attack, this team player showed up from the time the puck dropped in Plzen and made valuable contributions at both ends of the ice. Though not blessed with a top-notch array of skills, he was worth noticing since he managed to generate opportunities for his linemates. Defensively, he effectively blocked the opposing passing lanes and marked his man quickly in his own end.