The Lions from the North fell 0-4 against Canada after the host nation's star shot Gavin McKenna, who is ranked as the first choice ahead of the next NHL draft, initiated the goal scoring late in the first period.
The Finns likely want to avenge themselves after missing the podium in the two most recent U20 tournaments. But in the opening encounter, it didn't go any better than that the defender Matthew Schaefer, also one of the tournament's favorites, could nail the final result in an empty net with 19 seconds left on the clock.
It didn't go any better for Switzerland either when they met the Czech Republic, both teams pointed out as favorites along with Sweden in Group B.
The Czechs took the lead barely five minutes into the first period thanks to a goal by Miroslav Holinka and then didn't let go. Leo Braillard scored Switzerland's only goal a bit into the third, which meant 4-1, but they never got any closer.
Instead, Petr Sikora nailed the final result 5-1 in an open net with two and a half minutes left of the game.
Correction: In an earlier version, the wrong country appeared in the headline and introduction.
