Sign in Subscribe
2025 Worlds

Finland Stuns Czechia in Overtime Comeback to Win Bronze

Finland erased a 3–0 deficit and stunned host Czechia in overtime to win bronze.

Finland Stuns Czechia in Overtime Comeback to Win Bronze
Finland celebrates after scoring the game winning goal in overtime. (Photo Credit: IIHF)

For the second year in a row, it took overtime to separate Finland and Czechia in the bronze medal game. And for the second year in a row, it was Finland who skated away with the medal.

Subscribe to The Ice Garden!

Down 3–0 midway through the game and pushed to the brink by nearly 6,000 home fans in České Budějovice, Finland clawed their way back with three unanswered goals and capped it off with Jenniina Nylund’s overtime winner, silencing the crowd and securing a 4–3 victory.

Czechia who set the tone early, with Kristýna Kaltounková opening the scoring less than three minutes in. Captain Alena Mills doubled the lead with a net-front tip before the first period ended, and a slick power-play goal from Natálie Mlýnková in the second made it 3–0. With bronze in sight and the home crowd in full voice, Czechia looked poised to finish on the podium.

But Finland didn’t flinch.

Elli Suoranta’s point shot took a fortunate bounce off a Czech defender to get the Finns on the board late in the second. Then came a moment of brilliance from Elisa Holopainen, who danced through two defenders on the power play and roofed a shot short-side to make it 3–2.

“I don’t know what happened, it could be nerves,” Czech defender Dominika Lásková said postgame to IIHF. “We started making a lot of mistakes which cost us penalties, and then Finland capitalized. I would just say they made less mistakes than we did.”

Lásková, who recently returned from a year-long knee injury and scored Czechia’s third goal, called it “an awesome moment,” but added, “I wish I could change it for a win.”

Finland tied the game with just 1:33 remaining in regulation. With the goalie pulled for a 6-on-4 power play, Holopainen buried her second of the night off a rebound from Minttu Tuominen’s shot off the end boards.

In overtime, it didn’t take long.

Sanni Vanhanen started the sequence by circling the Czech zone and keeping the play alive. After one chance was stopped behind the net, she recovered the puck and fed Nylund in the slot, who made no mistake. Her shot found daylight through traffic, ending the game 4–3 and sending the Finnish bench flying.

With the win, Finland claims its 15th Women’s Worlds medal, and second consecutive bronze under head coach Saara Niemi.

Team Finland poses for a team photo after the win. (Photo Credit: IIHF)

Czechia, meanwhile, finishes fourth for the second straight year, a heartbreaking result after being just minutes away from a historic medal on home ice.

This year’s tournament also marked a milestone beyond the ice: a new Women’s Worlds attendance record was set, with 122,331 fans turning out over the course of the event, a sign of the sport’s continued growth and passionate following across Europe.

Aneta Tejralová saluting the crowd. (Photo Credit: IIHF)

Read next

Comments ()