Russia and Finland were tied 2-2 in overtime during the Channel One Cup, an annual hockey tournament in Russia. Overtime was three-on-three, and Russia wore old-school CCCP jerseys. They nearly scored early, but a late pass and sharp defense from Finland shut it down. With possession still theirs, Russia tried something bold. They pulled their goalie to gain a four-on-three advantage in sudden death overtime. It was a risky move—no goalie meant any turnover could end the game.
Russia cycled the puck, looking for a clean shot, but twice forced bad chances. One shot deflected off a teammate, triggering a Finnish breakaway toward the empty net. A Russian player chased him down and tripped him, hoping to stop the goal. But with the net empty, the rules say that’s an automatic goal if no defender is back. Game over. Finland wins the tournament not by scoring, but by being fouled with a clear path to an open net.
The moment felt flat. The Finnish player scored into an open net as he fell into it, but there was hardly a celebration. Even Russia looked more confused than crushed. It was an unusual end to a championship, all because of a high-risk gamble that backfired.