Sochi, Russia (SportsNetwork.com) - Jenni Hiirikoski scored at 2:38 of overtime to lift Finland to a 4-3 victory over Switzerland in women's hockey action Wednesday at the Sochi Olympics.
The Finns blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the contest, but Hiirikoski came through in OT to deliver the win.
Linda Valimaki threaded a pass from above the right circle and found Hiirikoski cutting towards goal. Hiirikoski lunged at the puck and was able to deflect it past the glove hand of Swiss goaltender Florence Schelling.
Hiirikoski and Michelle Karvinen each had two goals for Finland, while Noora Raty made 24 saves for the win. Schelling stopped 30-of-34 shots in the loss for Switzerland, which received goals from Stefanie Marty, Romy Eggimann and Phoebe Stanz.
Finland jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Hiirikoski and Karvinen. The Swiss rallied to tie the score at 2-2 on second-period goals from Eggimann and Stanz, but the Finns regained the lead on Karvinen's second goal of the game later in the period.
Marty tied it at 3-3 with just 3:35 remaining in regulation before the Swiss fell in OT.
Finland picked up its first win of the 2014 Olympics after losing its earlier tests against the United States and Canada. Switzerland remained at the bottom of the Group A standings, losing for the third time in three tries at the Sochi Games.
One of the more anticipated hockey matchups of the Games will take place later on Wednesday as Canada and the U.S. face off in a matchup of Group A unbeatens. The U.S. women have won four of the last five world championships, but Canada has won three straight gold medals and topped the Americans in the final game at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
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