Following a crushing defeat to the Americans, Finnish Head Coach Antti Pennanen told media Friday that Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen will get the start Saturday against Sweden.
Lankinen started the tournament Thursday as the backup to Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators against a dominant Team USA. Saros held the line through the first two periods with two goals allowed on 20 shots, but the floodgates broke open as the Americans tallied four goals through the third, taking it 6-1. The 29-year-old goalie was kept in net until the very end, finishing with a dismal .813 save percentage (S%).
After that disastrous start to the tournament, Lankinen is getting the nod and will make his first international start since a stellar performance at the 2019 IIHF World Championships. Playing without a single full-time NHLer on that Finnish team, Lankinen led the group to a gold medal, shutting out Russia in the semi-finals and defeating Canada twice – in both pool play and the championship match. A mere AHLer himself at the time, the then-24-year-old finished the tournament with a 7-1 record, 1.50 goals against average (GAA), and a .942 S%.
Speaking with media after practice Friday, before it was announced he would take the net, he told media what it would mean to get the start against Sweden:
“It would be huge. It would be a dream come true. I mean, that’s what every little kid is dreaming about, especially tournaments like this. Not just playing against the best, but representing your own country, so that’s what we work so hard for.”
After signing a one-year, $875,000 contract last September, the 29-year-old has risen to the occasion for Vancouver throughout Thatcher Demko’s injury troubles. In December, he became the first goaltender in NHL history to win 10 consecutive road games to start a season. Now, the Canucks goaltender has a career-high 19 wins through 34 games played (three away from his highest tally of 37 set with the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2020-21 season). His overall record is 19-8-7 with a 2.53 GAA and .905 S%.
Lankinen will be facing off against teammate Elias Pettersson. Pettersson has struggled this season but is hoping to find his groove at this competition. He did not register a point in the opening match. The two previously faced off at the 2019 IIHF World Championships, with Pettersson burying one past his future teammate in a game Finland would take in overtime.
Sitting on the brink of elimination, Lankinen and Finland will be chasing crucial points when they take to the ice at the Bell Centre at 10 AM PST on Saturday.