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Finland take on Russia in hockey worlds final

The Finnish Lions play Russia on Sunday evening in the final of the Ice Hockey World Championships in Minsk, Belarus. The Finland team started the tournament slowly but are now just one game away from lifting the trophy if they beat neighbours Russia.

Leijonat juhlii Olli Palola
Image: Pekka Rautiainen

Finland have not had the smoothest of rides to the final, starting the tournament with a loss to minnows Latvia and misfiring throughout the group stages, but coach Erkka Westerlund believes the last few weeks have been good preparation for the coming test against Russia.

"It looks like it could be different to other finals I've been involved in," Westerlund told Yle in Minsk. "There is no over-confidence or hubris. That's a good starting point."

There has certainly been no room for complacency. The Finns struggled through the group stages, relying on Switzerland to beat Latvia in the final match to ensure they progressed to the quarter-finals. From there they beat a lacklustre Canada and then the Czech republic to set up a final against the Russians.

If they win, it will be the third time they've triumphed in the annual tournament after previous victories in 1995 and 2011. The game will be televised live on MTV3 from 20:50.

Finland's line up:

Jori Lehterä – Petri Kontiola – Iiro Pakarinen
Juuso Hietanen – Tuukka Mäntylä

Erik Haula – Olli Jokinen – Leo Komarov
Jere Karalahti – Atte Ohtamaa

Pekka Jormakka – Jarkko Immonen – Olli Palola
Tommi Kivistö – Ville Lajunen

Tommi Huhtala – Tomi Sallinen – Miikka Salomäki
Jyri Marttinen

13th forward: Jere Sallinen

Goaltender: Pekka Rinne (Mikko Koskinen)

Power play lines

Jormakka - Lehterä - Komarov
Palola - Hietanen

Kontiola - Jokinen - Immonen
Mäntylä - Karalahti