Team Finland didn’t miss a beat Saturday morning, steamrolling Team Italy 11-0 in Olympic action-even without one of their top centers in the lineup. Florida Panthers pivot Anton Lundell was sidelined due to illness, according to Elliotte Friedman, and his absence was felt more in name than on the ice. His roommate in the Olympic Village, Oliver Kapanen, was also scratched from the contest, though the reasoning behind that decision remains unclear.
Lundell had been anchoring Finland’s second line and was coming off a strong showing in the team’s 4-1 win over Sweden, where he logged nearly 19 minutes of ice time and found the back of the net. That goal marked his first of the tournament after being held scoreless in the opener.
Given his NHL season so far-16 goals and 40 points through 54 games-his Olympic production seemed to be just heating up. That 61-point pace in Florida is already a career-best trajectory, well beyond the 45 points he posted last season.
And with Aleksander Barkov out, Lundell’s stepped into a top-line role with the Panthers, showing he’s more than capable of handling the pressure and responsibility that comes with it.
As for Kapanen, his situation is a bit murkier. The Canadiens rookie has been enjoying a solid first NHL season with 18 goals and 31 points in 57 games, but his Olympic usage has been inconsistent.
After dressing but sitting out Finland’s win over Sweden, he was again scratched against Italy. Whether it’s a precautionary move or a sign he’s slipping down the depth chart isn’t clear.
But if he does draw back in, expect him to slot into a fourth-line role with a shoot-first mentality-something he’s leaned into during his time in Finland’s Liiga and Sweden’s SHL. Over the past two seasons in Europe, Kapanen posted 34 points in 51 games in the Liiga and followed that up with 35 points in just 36 games in the SHL.
The offensive instincts are there-it’s just a matter of finding the right fit in this Olympic lineup.
Despite the absences, Finland had no trouble asserting dominance over Italy. Joel Kiviranta made the most of his 11 minutes on the ice, scoring on both of his shots.
The Colorado Avalanche winger brought the kind of opportunistic finishing Finland needed to keep the pressure on. On the blue line, Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo stayed steady.
He logged eight minutes, registered two shots, and finished with a plus-one rating. While he didn’t hit the scoresheet this time, he did light the lamp in the win over Sweden-a rare offensive highlight for a blueliner who’s only scored once in 75 career NHL games.
One wrinkle to keep an eye on: Finland’s women’s team has reportedly been hit with a norovirus outbreak, a stomach bug that can spread quickly in close quarters like the Olympic Village. There’s no confirmation that Lundell’s illness is related, but it’s something the Finnish camp will be monitoring closely.
With the tournament heating up, getting Lundell back to full health will be a top priority. His two-way play and growing offensive confidence have been key to Finland’s success so far.
Finland’s depth is clearly one of its strengths, and Saturday’s blowout win only reinforced that. But as the competition stiffens, they’ll want all hands on deck-especially players like Lundell and Kapanen, who can tilt the ice when they’re at their best.