HALIFAX, Canada (AFP) - Mikko Koivu scored the game winner in the third period as Finland rallied with three late goals to beat the United States 3-2 in the qualification round at the World Ice Hockey Championships.
With the win, Finland guarantees itself at least second place in Group F heading into the quarter-finals, with a chance to place first by beating Canada on Monday.
"There was some blood, some battles and our guys were pissed off and I like that," Finnish coach Doug Shedden said.
"We finally got a couple of bounces and outshot them 45 to 22 and we were shorthanded for nine minutes in the third period. Our guys stuck with it and played hard."
In other games Sunday, Switzerland rolled over Denmark 7-2 and Latvia surprised Norway 4-1.
The American-Finland game turned ugly at the final horn as players fought and some even left their benches to get into the melee in front of a crowd of 8,867 at the Metro Centre arena.
There was also a controversial goal which US players said went through a hole in the side of the net that give Finland a 1-0 lead.
The International Ice Hockey Federation ruled after the game that the goal should have been waved off.
"They said it didn't go in," said American goaltender Robert Esche, who was superb making 42 saves. "I couldn't tell. It was so hard and fast.
"But I thought it maybe went in the side of the net. The ref said they were going to look at it I said all right."
Shedden said he will take goals any way they can get them.
"I told our guys at the end of the second period. I loved our effort. I (expletive) loved our effort," Shedden said.
"It was just matter getting that first goal - a crack in the armour.
"Whether it goes in the side of net or through the goalie all that matters is it counted and gave us some life."
Finland played most of the game without Florida Panthers forward Olli Jokinen, who received a match penalty for a check from behind on American defenceman Tim Gleason.
Jokinen was one of three players suspended for at least one game Sunday and will miss Monday's game against Canada.
Russian referees Vyacheslav Bulanov and Alexander Poliakov called a total of 202 penalty minutes, including 106 against the US team.
Two other players were handed match penalties and received automatic one-game suspensions for fighting at the end of the game.
Finland's Anssi Salmela and American David Backes fought with Salmela, who plays for Tappara Tampere, getting the worst of it with a suspected broken nose.
"He needs a broken nose. He needs to get ugly," said Shedden, never one to mince words. "It is on the other side of his face.
"Now if he drops the gloves he is going to have to learn how to fight a little bit."
American Matt Greene and Finland's Antti-Jussi Niemi were also penalized for leaving their benches to join the game-ending melee, which started when American Dustin Brown ran Finland's Jussi Jokinen into the end boards. Brown was given a misconduct.
Koivu, Teemu Selanne and Ville Koistinen scored the goals for Finland, who until this game had trouble putting together a full 60 minutes of solid play.
"You can see we don't shy away from anybody," Finnish captain Ville Peltonen said. "This was a good game for us and our first real test of the tournament. We were able to get the win."
Phil Kessel and Tom Gilbert scored for the Americans, who next play Norway on Monday.
Koistinen's goal was sent upstairs for review and was ruled good initially. But after the game, the IIHF announced on its web site that it should not have counted and suspended the goal judge from the remainder of the tournament.
The IIHF declined to release the name of the judge and no other details were given.
"We saw it. It didn't even go in the net," Kessel said of the first Finnish goal. "It hit the outside of the net went through the net. I have no idea what they were looking at but I guess that is how it goes."
