Florida’s Finnish stars showcased their skills in Sweden as Team Finland tuned up for this month's World Championships Thursday against Switzerland.
Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov played hockey on Thursday.
Barkov suited up as the team captain and top line center for Team Finland in their final game ahead of this month’s 2026 IIHF World Hockey Championships taking place in Switzerland.
Joining Barkov on the Finnish roster is Panthers center Anton Lundell, and he was also on the ice for Thursday’s matchup.
Barkov, Lundell and Finland faced off against the Swiss squad at Catena Arena in Angelholm, Sweden, losing 5-4 in a game that required overtime and a shootout.
While Barkov didn’t find his way onto the scoresheet during the game’s 65 minutes, finishing with a minus-1 on-ice rating and no points or penalty minutes, he did log Finland’s only goal during the five-round shootout.
He skated on a line with Janne Kuokkanen and Lenni Hameenaho.
As for Lundell, he racked up three primary assists during the game on a line with Jesse Puljujarvi and Sakari Manninen, with two of those helpers coming on goals by Puljujarvi.
Lundell also was sent over the boards during the shootout, but his shot was stopped by Swiss goaltender Leonardo Genoni, who made 23 saves during the game and stopped four of the five Finnish shootout attempts.
Barkov, who missed all of the 2025-26 NHL season while recovering from major knee surgery, is seeing his first true game action since last year's Stanley Cup Final.
The World Hockey Championships are set to begin on Friday, May 15 and last through Sunday, May 31.
LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA
Photo caption: Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Finland forward Alexander Barkov (16) clears pucks out of the net during warmups prior to a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game against Team Canada at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)