Team Finland took on Team Denmark on the first day of the 2026 World Junior Championship (WJC) tournament, and Finland came out on top in commanding fashion with a 6-2 win, taking down Denmark and picking up their first win. Denmark looked solid and potted a couple of goals, but couldn’t keep up with the strong Finnish team.
Related: Guide to the 2026 World Junior Championship
In this article, we take a look at some takeaways from Finland’s first win of the tournament.
Aron Kiviharju Stands Out
Aron Kiviharju, a defender who was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, stood out as one of the strongest players in the game. In his draft year, there were rumblings that he could be a top-15 selection, but an injury hurt his draft stock, and he ended up slipping all the way into the fourth round. Since then, he has been a man on a mission, and it showed against Denmark.
His defensive game was strong, and he had two assists. His offensive side isn’t the strongest part of his game, having only scored two goals and added five assists for seven points through 23 games with HIFK Helsinki in the SM-Liiga in Finland this season, but contributing offensively proves he has some confidence out of the gates.
He is confident with the puck, is a strong skater, and each of his strengths was on display as he helped lead his team to a victory. It was a good start for him as Finland looks to push for a medal.
Anton Linde Has a Solid Game
Pointing out someone strong from Team Denmark, and that’s Anton Linde. Linde scored the second goal for his team on the power play on a one-timer that snuck past the Finnish goaltender. Away from the puck, Linde looked solid as well.
Linde is an undrafted forward who is currently playing in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, where he has scored four goals and added eight assists for 12 points through 26 games.
By no means is he expected to explode offensively, but seeing Linde get on the score sheet has to give him some confidence moving forward, and an impressive showing over the rest of the tournament could earn him some looks from NHL teams.
Petteri Rimpinen Struggled
Finland’s goaltender, Petteri Rimpinen, struggled. Both goals that were scored couldn’t be placed on him as his fault, but they are definitely shots he would like to have back. Denmark had just 10 shots on net, Rimpinen stopped just eight, finishing the night with a .800 save percentage (SV%).
Rimpinen, who is 19 years old, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. This season, he has played in the Finnish Liiga with Kiekko-Espoo, where he has played 23 games posting a 2.79 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .894 SV%.
Jasper Kuhta Leads Finland Offensively
Leading the way with three points, all assists, was Jasper Kuhta. His confidence offensively stood out, and his playmaking ability helped lead his team to a win. He will continue to be a player to watch as the tournament moves along.
Kuhta, who is 19 years old, plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Ottawa 67’s, where he has scored 17 goals and added 13 assists for 30 points through 32 games, maintaining just under a point-per-game average.
Denmark’s player of the game was goaltender Anton Wilde, while Finland’s Player of the game was Kiviharju.
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