Vancouver, BC – May 10, 2025
Finland earned their first win of the 2025 World Deaf Ice Hockey Championships with a strong 13–4 victory over Hungary at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

The Finns set the tone early, exploding for nine goals in the first period and never letting Hungary get back into the game. Santeri Ahola and Aleksi Ahola led the Finnish attack, combining for multiple goals and assists to build a commanding lead before the first intermission.

Despite the early onslaught, Hungary showed grit throughout the game. Peter Szemerei opened Hungary's scoring midway through the first period, and Adam Kern added another goal just moments later. In the second and third periods, Hungary continued to battle, getting additional tallies from Peter Szemerei and Peter Szemerei again (for a hat trick), assisted by Benjamin Fekete, Gergely Farkas, and Adrian Szilvasi.

Finland's depth was on full display:

  • Santeri Ahola recorded multiple goals and assists.
  • Aleksi Ahola also contributed heavily to the scoresheet.
  • Julius Hyyppä, Niklas Kitula, and Marko Liimatainen chipped in goals to keep Finland rolling.

Hungary's goaltender Kevin Zsolt Zatyko faced relentless pressure, making 26 saves despite the lopsided scoreline.

In the third period, Finland kept the pressure up, adding three more goals to ensure the outcome was never in doubt.

Scoring Summary

First Period

  • 19:11 – Finland – Leevi Palander (assists: Victor Lindfors, Simo Kovalainen)
  • 15:39 – Finland – Santeri Taskinen (assists: Aleksi Ahola, Janne Nyberg)
  • 15:33 – Finland – Julius Hyyppä (assist: Aleksi Ahola)
  • 14:49 – Finland – Santeri Ahola (assist: Julius Hyyppä)
  • 10:43 – Finland – Santeri Ahola (assist: Aleksi Ahola)
  • 9:33 – Finland – Niklas Kitula (unassisted)
  • 8:28 – Finland – Santeri Ahola (assists: Aleksi Ahola, Jukka Keränen)
  • 7:26 – Finland – Aleksi Ahola (assist: Santeri Ahola)
  • 3:37 – Finland – Aleksi Ahola (assist: Santeri Ahola)
  • 4:23 – Hungary – Peter Szemerei (assists: Gergely Farkas, Adrian Szilvasi)
  • 4:11 – Hungary – Adam Kern (assist: Peter Szemerei)

Second Period

  • 5:41 – Finland – Leevi Palander (assist: Niklas Kitula)
  • 4:05 – Hungary – Peter Szemerei (assist: Benjamin Fekete)

Third Period

  • 17:42 – Finland – Niklas Kitula (assists: Osku Mikkilä, Aleksi Pylväs)
  • 15:15 – Finland – Victor Lindfors (assists: Santeri Ahola, Aleksi Ahola)
  • 2:17 – Finland – Marko Liimatainen (unassisted)
  • 12:51 – Hungary – Peter Szemerei (assists: Gergely Farkas, Adam Kern)

Penalty Summary

  • Hungary:
    • Richard Fekete – Too Many Players (2nd period)
    • Adam Kern – Cross-checking (3rd period)
  • Finland:
    • Jukka Keränen – Hooking (1st period)
    • Osku Mikkilä – Hooking and Slashing (1st period)

Game Notes

  • Hungary's Peter Szemerei recorded a hat trick.
  • Finland exploded with 9 goals in the first period to put the game out of reach early.
  • Hungary's goaltender Kevin Zsolt Zatyko made 26 saves under heavy pressure.
  • Finland used strong depth scoring with contributions from across the roster.