Team Canada won against Team Finland in a really close Olympic semifinal match, but the Finnish players were very upset when they talked to the media afterward.
Finland started strong by taking a 2-0 lead right away, and then they mostly focused on defending for the rest of the game. Team Canada kept pushing for goals until they tied it up, and Nathan MacKinnon scored the winning goal just 30 seconds before the game ended.
Fury in the Finnish camp 🇫🇮
Team Finland didn’t hold back after their semifinal loss to 🇨🇦 **Team Canada**. Heated words. Frustration boiling. No excuses.
This rivalry just reached another level ahead of the next showdown. 👀🔥#Olympics #Hockey #IIHF pic.twitter.com/RXKD1v0FKH
— Great (@Great1019353) February 21, 2026
Beating greatest hockey country in the world and Canadian referees same night is impossible I guess… absolutely embarrassing penalty 90 seconds to go in Olympic semifinal.. what a joke🤬
— Teemu Selanne (@TeemuSel8nne) February 20, 2026
After the 3-2 defeat, many players from Finland were really angry about how the referees handled the game, blaming them for their loss. Even Finnish hockey star Teemu Selanne joined in on criticizing the officials.
Finland’s🇫🇮 Joel Armia after losing to Canada🇨🇦 in the semifinals⬇️
“Five-on-five, they got one goal. That was goalie interference.” pic.twitter.com/o9UN2Sn4cy
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) February 20, 2026
Joel Armia, a Finnish forward, suggested that Canada’s victory wasn’t fair and mentioned they would have lost if the referee hadn’t missed a call on goalie interference during Shea Theodore’s goal. Goaltender Juuse Saros criticized Sam Bennett for being rough around the net, hinting that he plays dirty.
All this complaining from Team Finland ignores the fact that they chose to play defensively while Canada kept pushing hard for the last half of the game.
Former player Chris Pronger responded to Selanne’s comments, pointing out that Finland didn’t play a full game.
In top-level Olympic play, it’s hard to win if you never go for goals. Finland thought their best chance was to block Canada’s offense, but Canada’s star players kept on attacking.
It’s not a good plan to just defend with a 2-0 lead against a team that has players like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and other big talents.
On the other hand, Team France had nice things to say about Canada after they lost 10-2. Sure, it was a game with mismatched skill levels, but France handled their loss with respect.
Mikko Rantanen was the only Finnish player who talked to the media and understood what really happened in the game. He admitted they played too defensively, while Canada kept coming at them.
Blaming the referees completely is a weak response. Finland had a talented team and lost a tough game. They should just accept it for what it was.
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