Finland Gives U.S. Team Its Toughest Game Yet

The International Ice Hockey Federation In-Line Hockey World Championship finally produced a game worth watching Tuesday night.

Until the United States’ hard-fought, 9-5, victory over Finland at Disney ICE, the third annual event had been a showcase of mediocre skating by all but the two North American teams, whose seemingly inevitable march to Saturday’s gold medal rematch at the Arrowhead Pond continues.

But Finland (1-1) made the United States (2-0) work for its 15th consecutive IIHF victory, providing some spirited moments with scrappy defense, opportunistic counterattacks and unusual tactics, such as pulling goaltender Petri Engman with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game.

The United States countered with a hat trick from John Hanson, two goals from his Bullfrog teammate Bill Lund and two from Ken Blum.

“I was really nervous about this one all summer,” U.S. Coach Roy Sommer said. “I thought they would be the best team we played. They were tough and skilled. But give our guys credit, we had to go out there and gut it out with them.”

The series took on a bit more of a nationalist tone Tuesday when a dozen or so flag-waving U.S. fans were among the announced crowd of 875, many of them standing and pressing against the glass.

This year, the event, pared from 12 to six teams, seemed listless until the scrappy effort from the Finns.

“This seems like a two-team tournament,” Canadian Victor Gervais said. “I think some of the teams could have brought in better players. There are a lot of Russian skaters in the East Coast Hockey League I know who would have made a great team if they were here.”

Finland set out to prove Gervais wrong, despite falling behind, 4-0, on goals from Lund (2), Hanson and Blum.

A Finnish power-play goal with two minutes 27 seconds left before halftime by Tuomas Kalliomaki ended goaltender Joe Bonvie’s shutout streak at 76 minutes 17 seconds, an IIHF record dating to last year’s gold-medal game.

Finland cut the lead to 5-3 in the third quarter, but goals from Hanson, Jay Murphy and Lund within a two-minute span just before the quarter gave the United States breathing room.

In other games:

Canada 13, Germany 6--Checking is not allowed in IIHF play, but that didn’t stop the Germans (0-1-1) from pushing the limits of contact in an attempt to slow the quicker Canadians (2-0), who held a 44-25 shot advantage. Gervais, who makes his return to the Bullfrogs tonight against Virginia of Major League Roller Hockey at the Pond, had three goals.

Russia 12, Italy 6--The Italians (0-2) took a 3-0 lead, but the youthful Russians (1-1), who play the United States tonight, put up the next seven goals, led by a pair from Alexander Buturlin.

Switzerland 11, Austria 3--The Swiss (1-0-1), who play Canada today, broke a 2-2 first-quarter tie with four consecutive goals spanning the second and third quarters. Peter Schlagenhauf and Ricardo Signorelli had hat tricks for the Swiss. Austria is 0-2.

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In-Line Hockey

* What: In-Line Hockey World Championships

* When: Today-Saturday

* Where: Preliminaries and semifinals at Disney ICE, 300 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim; Saturday’s finals at Arrowhead Pond.

* Today’s schedule: 10:30 a.m.--Austria vs. Germany; 1:30 p.m.--Italy vs. Finland; 4:30--Canada vs. Switzerland; 7:30--Russia vs. United States.

* Tickets: $8 adults, $4 children 12 and under. Available at Pond box office or call TicketMaster at (714) 740-2000.

* Information: (714) 940-2888

* Web site: https://www.inlinehockeyworld.com