HELSINKI – Finland had a perfect 5-0 record in its World Championship games against France. Now it's 6-0, thanks to Thursday's 7-1 win on home ice, after a big game by their top line.

Jussi Jokinen scored twice for Finland, Mikko Koivu scored one and added three assists for four points, and Valtteri Filppula collected three assists in a game in which Finland scored four powerplay goals.

"We've tried different things but we know that if we create traffic in front of the net, and get shots on goal, we can score, and that's good for our confidence. That's probably one of the best things we'll take with us from this game," Jokinen said.

"Every game is different, and I think we've played well in all games, even if the scores vary. That's just hockey," said Koivu.

Finland took command of the game at 10:12 when last year’s tournament’s leading goal scorer Jarkko Immonen scored his third goal of the 2012 tournament on a power play off Janne Pesonen’s pass, which found him alone in the slot. Mikael Granlund also received an assist.

France wasn’t without its chances, though. The team had two power play opportunities, and even one 3-on-1 attack when both teams had a player in the penalty box, but Stéphane da Costa’s slap shot hit the lion on the chest of Finnish goaltender Petri Vehanen’s sweater.

France put up a good fight, but two second period penalties gave Finland the edge it was looking for. Half way through the game, just as Antoine Roussel stepped back onto the ice from the penalty box, just as it was announced that the teams were playing at full strength, Juuso Hietanen took a slapshot from the point and Mikko Koivu, standing in the slot, deflected it into the net. Lhenry didn’t have a chance.

Two minutes later, Baptiste Amar received an interference minor, and Finland got their fourth power-play opportunity of the game. Jussi Jokinen was pushed to the ice in the slot. Just as he got up, Mikko Mäenpää fired a slapt shot which Jokinen redirected into the net at 13:49. Koivu picked up his second point of the game.

"It was patience on our part. We have to stick with our game plan and trust that before the end of 60 minutes we're going to score more goals," Kukkonen said.

Maybe the French players got tired, or maybe there was just no stopping Finland tonight. Three minutes and 23 seconds after Jokinen’s 3-0 goal, Finland scored another one. Valtteri Filppula played the puck to Jesse Joensuu who did a spinarama behind the net, and sent the puck to the slot. Filppula fanned on it, but behind him was Janne Niskala who fired a wrist shot through Lhenry’s five-hole, to make it 4-0 at 37:12.

The shift that followed was a shift of firsts. Niko Kapanen scored his first point of the tournament. Jani Tuppurainen, playing his first game of the tournament, won a puck battle in the corner, went around the net and found Niko Kapanen in front of it. Kapanen has an easy task to score Finland’s fifth goal of the game with 1:52 remaining in the period. Tuomas Kiiskinen, also playing his first World Championship game received an assist on the play.

"It was pretty even until the second period when we got a couple of power-play goals. After that, maybe they didn't believe they could win any more. The rest of the game was pretty one-sided," said Team Finland defenceman Lasse Kukkonen. 

France didn't just roll over, though. When Petri Kontiola received a high-sticking minor two minutes into the third period, France finally got their chance. The Da Costa brothers played the puck to the front of the net and Anthony Guttig tapped it in to cut Petri Vehanen's shutout streak in the tournament at 103:34 minutes.

Twenty seconds later Finland got another power play and it took them just eight seconds to capitalize on the chance. Koivu won the faceoff to the blueline, but got it back quickly. He looked and sent a pass that hit Jussi Jokinen's tape in front of the net, and Jokinen could simply watch the puck go into the French goal.

Finland 6, France 1.

The next power play lasted thirteen seconds. Mäenpää assisted, Hietanen fired a one-timer that beat Lhenry at 50:00 to make it 7-1.

Finland's next test comes tomorrow when the hosts take on Canada.

"We have to play our best game tomorrow. I think it will be our biggest test so far for our team. We're looking forward to it. They have a lot of good players, four lines that can all score, and they have a couple of big stars. We have to be ready and play really well as a team," Kukkonen said.

The game was opened with a moment of silence in memory of Finnish IIHF Hall of Famer and 1975 World Championship Best Defenceman Pekka Marjamäki, and a speech by his former Team Finland teammate Veli-Pekka Ketola. Finnish players also wore black armbands.

Marjamäki passed away on Thursday at the age of 64.

RISTO PAKARINEN