Buoyed by a 29-save performance from goalie Jussi Olkinuora, Finland kicked off its defence of its 2019 world title with a 2-1 win over the U.S. at Arena Riga on Saturday.

The Finns are questing for their fourth gold medal of all time (1995, 2011, 2019) and third under legendary head coach Jukka Jalonen. This is a unique chance to repeat, with the first IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship ever staged under the challenging circumstances of a pandemic bubble.

 "It's a good start to the tournament, but we can improve a lot of things," said Iiro Pakarinen, who scored the game-winner in the second period.

Atte Ohtamaa also scored for Finland. Jason Robertson replied for the Americans.

The U.S., which traditionally ices a young team, won three bronze medals in the last decade (2013, 2015, 2018). The Americans are still seeking their first gold medal at a World Championship tournament since 1933.

Final shots favoured the U.S. 30-29, and quality American chances abounded.

"The USA was excellent today," Jalonen said. "They're a very strong and disciplined team. We had quite big problems in the third period, but fortunately our goalie Olkinuora was great in our net."

In a scoreless first period, it took a while for the Finns to find the structure in their tight-checking game, and that opened the door for a fabulous goaltending display.

Early on, Olkinuora had to be sharp on multiple opportunities for the U.S.’s Eric Robinson, as head coach Jack Capuano’s team came out hard. The Metallurg Magnitogorsk starter, whose lone previous Worlds experience was a 5-0 shutout over Great Britain in 2019, denied 2018 Olympian Ryan Donato from the slot as well.

At the other end, American goalie Cal Petersen robbed Hannes Bjorninen, the 25-year-old captain of Lahti Pelicans, who is one of 14 Worlds rookies on Jalonen’s roster.

In the second period, Finland’s puck control and pressure ramped up. Ohtamaa finally opened the scoring at 6:54, as Suomi exploited a tired American group that wasn’t able to complete a change.

Brian Boyle – an 805-game NHLer who captured the 2018 Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication, but did not play this year – tried to block Ohtamaa’s blast. However, the puck deflected off the 36-year-old’s stick and went through Petersen.

"The second period, with the long change, was tough," Robertson said. "They’re a good puck possession team that makes skilled plays. I thought we weathered it pretty well and didn’t give many grade A chances. But that’s hockey, and we’ll go from there."

Olkinuora stood firm during the first U.S. power play halfway through the game, and then stymied Conor Garland on a breakaway.

At 15:41, Pakarinen got a piece of a rebound from Ville Pokka's right point drive, and Petersen unfortunately kicked the puck into his own net to make it 2-0 Finland. The last time the 29-year-old Pakarinen, who plays for Jokerit, scored at the Worlds was when Finland fell 5-2 to Russia in the 2014 gold medal game in Minsk.

"It was kind of a mess in front of the net," Pakarinen said. "I saw the puck was with our D-man and I just tried to drive to the net. I saw the rebound coming there and it just went off the goalie's pad and in."

With 1:59 left in the middle frame, Robertson, whose 17 goals and 45 points for the Dallas Stars have him in Calder Trophy contention, cut the deficit to 2-1. Collecting Christian Wolanin's long pass, the 21-year-old winger got loose for a power-play zinger that slipped through the goalie's five-hole.

"He’s great," Donato said of Robertson. "He finds his areas to get chances and is an elite talent and he showed it tonight."

The Americans took the fight to the Finns with under 10 minutes left in the third, storming the offensive zone and getting traffic in front of Olkinuora. Off a faceoff, the goalie stoned Robertson off a one-timer attempt. With under three minutes left, Olkinuora frustrated Tage Thompson with a magnificent glove save.

In the dying stages, Capuano pulled Petersen for the extra attacker, but despite good pressure, time simply ran out for America.

"This was a great test for us, to see where we match up against the reigning world champs," said Petersen. "I think it was great for us to start off against one of the best, see where we match up, see the things we need to do better, and then continue to carry positive momentum forward."

In the last meeting between these two sides in Kosice in 2019, Dylan Larkin’s overtime goal at 3:47, set up by Quinn Hughes, lifted the Americans to an exciting 3-2 victory. The Americans and Finns enjoy a burgeoning rivalry at the U18 and U20 levels as well.

Yet this round belonged to Jalonen's men. And with Finland currently rated the world's happiest country, there was a little more reason for joy in the 2022 Worlds host nation.

"Everybody was really excited today and a little bit nervous also," said Ohtamaa. "But you know, I think that's a good thing. We should enjoy the moment here and enjoy every day with our team. I think we have a really good chance again this year."

Finland next faces Kazakhstan on Sunday, while the U.S. battles archrival Canada that day.