THREE GOALS IN THIRD PERIOD HELP FINNS TO WIN OVER WEST

DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. – Miro Mäkinen, Kasperi Kapanen and Waltteri Hopponen scored in the final 11 minutes as Finland earned its first victory of the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge on Monday night, beating West 6-4.

The Finns trailed 4-3 after Vukie Mpofu (Saskatoon, Sask./Saskatoon, SMAAAHL) scored on a West power play at 5:57 of the third period, but Mäkinen tied the game at 9:04 and Kapanen gave them the lead for good on the man advantage at 12:35.

Hopponen rounded out the scoring in the final minute.

Sami Niku, Eetu Sopanen and Teemu Lämsä had the other goals for the Finns, who beat a Canadian opponent for the first time since a 5-3 win over Ontario in their opener at the 2010 tournament in Timmins, Ont.

Kolten Olynek (Saskatoon, Sask./Saskatoon, SMAAAHL) scored twice to pace the offence for West, which has dropped nine straight at the under-17 tournament; its last win was a 4-1 triumph over Slovakia in Winnipeg, Man., in 2011.

Adam Brooks (Winnipeg, Man./Regina, WHL) also scored for the Canadian side, which got two assists each from Ryan Pilon (Duck Lake, Sask./Lethbridge, WHL) and Jordan Thomson (Wawanesa, Man./Kamloops, WHL).

Olynek and Mpofu scored early in the third period to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead before the Finns mounted a comeback of their own.

Kaapo Kähkönen made 33 saves to earn the victory in the Finnish goal, while Rylan Parenteau (Saskatoon, Sask./Saskatoon, SMAAAHL) turned aside 25 shots in a losing cause.

The Finns go for back-to-back victories Monday night when they face Pacific in Victoriaville (7:30 p.m. ET), while West is off Monday before closing out the preliminary round Tuesday night at the Colisée against Pacific (7:30 p.m. ET).

First Period Goals:
18:47 WST 22 Kolten Olynek (17 Austin Glover, 4 Ryan Pilon)

Second Period Goals:
00:16 FIN 2 Sami Niku
09:19 FIN 7 Eetu Sopanen (19 Joel Kiviranta, 11 Jaakko Hälli)
18:10 WST 10 Adam Brooks (6 Jordan Thomson)
19:55 FIN 20 Teemu Lämsä (28 Juho Lammikko, 26 Mikko Rantanen) PP

Third Period Goals:

01:17 WST 22 Kolten Olynek (14 Rourke Chartier)

05:57 WST 20 Vukie Mpofu (4 Ryan Pilon, 6 Jordan Thomson) PP
09:04 FIN 15 Miro Mäkinen (26 Mikko Rantanen)
12:35 FIN 24 Kasperi Kapanen (2 Sami Niku) PP
19:07 FIN 12 Waltteri Hopponen

GOALIES
West 1 Rylan Parenteau

Finland 1 Kaapo Kähkönen

SHOTS

West 8 7 22- 37

Finland 7 13 11- 31

GAME STARS

Finland 12 Waltteri Hopponen

West 8 Jayce Hawryluk