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Slovakia goaltender Samuel Urban knows that Finland’s Benjamin Rautianen scored on him, at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Photo by Mark Kelly /Special to the Standard-Freeholder
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Cornwall hosted its first pre-tournament Road to World Juniors for 2024-25 on Friday.
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The puck dropped at the Cornwall Civic Complex in a tense matchup between Finland and Slovakia, with Finland handily beating out Slovakia, 6-0.
Only 27 seconds into the first period, and Finland was already showing off the kind of punch it had packed and brought to Cornwall. Jesse Kiiskinen led the play, assisted by Emil Pieniniemi and Joona Saarelainen. Kiiskinen is a recent NHL draft pick for the Detroit Red Wings, while Pieniniemi has been drafted by the Kingston Frontenacs.
It was clear from the get-go Friday why these two are considered solid up-and-coming prospects.
As much as Finland brought good offensive play, goalie Petteri Rimpinen was the key reason why Finland was able to lock up the entire game. Slovakia mustered up 10 shots in the first period, with Rimpinen not missing a single beat. The Liiga goalie’s success in the net ensured Finland’s early lead.
Liiga’s Aron Kiviharju scored the next goal just over six minutes into the first period, with an assist from Tuomas Uronen and Rasmus Kumpulainen. Uronen was also acquired by the Frontenacs earlier this year.
Ryan “Pucks” Pyette on the OHL
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Slovakia goaltender Samuel Urban, surrounded by his teammates as the start of their match against Finland at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Peter Cisar skates past centre ice during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakian and Finnish players skate past centre ice during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Sebastian Soini skates past centre ice during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Kasper Haltunnen skates past centre ice during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Part of the crowd on-hand to watch Finland play Slovakia during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakian and Finnish teams at their benches during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Jesse Kiiskinen gets one past Slovakia goaltender Samuel Urban’s glove at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Topias Hynninen gets nudged from behind by a Slovakian player at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Robert Fedor, right, leads Finland’s Rasmus Kumpulainen and Topias Hynninen in a chase for the puck at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia goaltender Samuel Urban knows that Finland’s Benjamin Rautianen scored on him, at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen clears the puck from the approaching Slovakian Roman Kukumberg at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia goaltender Michal Pradel stops a shot from Finland’s Arttu Alasiurua at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Topias Hynninen and Slovakia’s Tomas Pobezal dig for the puck in a faceoff at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Aron Kiviharju chases down Slovakia’s Peter Cisar at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen and Slovakia’s Daniel Alexander Jencko watch the rebound at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen moves to glove the rebound in play against Slovakia at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Martin Strbak with possession at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game against Finland on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Mark Kelly/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Mark Kelly /Mark Kelly/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Jakub Chromiak, left, is in the best spot to get the puck that squirted out of a melee with Finnish players during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Sebastian Soini moves to intercept a pass from Slovakia’s Luka Radivojevic during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia goaltender Samuel Urban gets a glove on a shot from Finland during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen blocks an attempt from Adam Cedzo during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen has the puck on his stick as teammate Sebastian Soini checks Slovakia’s Daniel Alexander Jencko during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia goaltender Samuel Urban slides across his crease to block a shot from a Finnish player during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Frantisek Dej and goaltender Samuel Urban deal with a Finnish player in the crease during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Peter Cisar tries to rein in Finland’s Topias Hynninen from getting a shot on goaltender Michal Pradel during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Tobias Pitka gets the puck past Finland’s Topias Hynninen after a faceoff at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Luka Radivojevic and Finland’s Arttu Alasiurua during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Part of the crowd that took in a 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game between Finland and Slovakia on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Mitja Jokinen trips up Slovakian player Tomas Pobezal during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finnish and Slovakian players dig for the puck against the boards during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen is ready to make the save on Slovakian player Daniel Alexander Jencko’s shot during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen is ready to make a save during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game against Slovakia on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen is ready for the shot from Slovakia’s Tomas Pobezal during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland goaltender Petteri Rimpinen eyes the puck as an airborne Juraj Pekarcik from Slovakia goes over his crease at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Tuomas Uronen lifts up Slovakian player Samuel Barcik’s stick during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Linesmen lead Finnish and Slovakian players away from each other after a whistle in play at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Finland’s Joona Saarelainen and Slovakia’s Richard Baran eyeing the puck during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
Slovakia’s Richard Baran skates past centre ice with possession during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship exhibition game on Friday December 20, 2024 in Cornwall, Ont. Finland won 6-0. Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkPhoto by Robert Lefebvre /Robert Lefebvre/Special to the Standard-Freeholder
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Finland’s offensive push in the first period was well rounded, and put their entire line up on full display, much to Slovakia’s frustration. Roope Vesterinen scored Finland’s third goal in 10 minutes with an assist from Kalle Kangas and Arttu Tuhkala. With just three minutes left on the clock Arttu Alasiurua got another passed the Slovakians, with an assist by Benjamin Rautiainen.
That Slovakian frustration came through in the second period. Neither team managed land a goal, but the Finland team was able to keep the puck far out of their zone, and deny Slovakia a chance on a power play. Rimpinen was ready to fend off Slovakia’s 13 shots on net, backed by Finland’s impressive defensive line.
With frustrations clearly boiling over on the ice, the crowd got to witness a few tense moments that almost broke out into fights.
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Going into the third period, the chances of a Slovakian comeback seemed slim, and only became more out of reach. Slovakia’s Peter Cisar, a draft pick for the USHL’s Fargo Force, was called for roughing, leading to a fifth goal for Finland just two minutes in. The final blow came with eight minutes left on the clock, with Liiga’s Kalle Kangas getting the puck passed Michal Pradel, who had just subbed in for Samuel Urban.
This is the second time Cornwall has been host to a major junior hockey event. In 2022, the World Junior A Challenge was held in the Seaway City. Tonight, Finland with face off at the complex again, in a game against Team USA, whose lineup features Carey Terrance from Akwesasne.
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