Finland beats Germany at ice hockey world

Moscow, May 4 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Co-host Finland?s world ice hockey championship campaign got off to a stuttering start with a 4-3 overtime win against Germany.

Sakari Salmanen?s overtime goal ensured the Finns have a winning start in Helsinki Friday, after they had to rely on Petri Kontiola scoring 90 seconds before the end of regulation time to avoid defeat.

Earlier, Finland had led twice. Kontiola scored in the first period, only for Felix Schutz to level in the second, when Janne Pesonen then made it 2-1 to Finland.

In the third, Christian Ehrhoff scored for the Germans before Torsten Ankert made it 3-2 to take Germany to the brink of victory.

Marcel Goc finished with three assists for Germany.

Earlier in the day, Slovakia beat France 6-2 in Helsinki and the Czech Republic saw off Belarus in a 2-0 win in Stockholm.