Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne will, as expected, get the start for Team Finland Sunday when the Finns open the World Cup against Team North America, according to Sami Hoffrén.
Rinne started two of Finland’s three exhibition games leading into Sunday’s tournament kick off. He stopped 18 of 20 shots in a 3-2 win over Team Sweden and then, in Finland’s final exhibition, he stopped 26 of 29 in a 3-2 loss to Team USA.
Rinne looked good in both starts, and it was clear after Tuukka Rask stopped just 23 of 28 in a 6-3 loss to Sweden that Rinne would get the start for Finland in Game 1. That was solidified when Rinne took the full 60 minutes in the third exhibition game.
Rask is likely to be the backup in Sunday’s game against Team North America with Mikko Koskinen getting the scratch.