For the first time since Finland started competing in international women's hockey, the nation has suffered relegation, coming at the U-18 Women's World Championships sending Finland down to the Division 1A tournament.
Finland has competed internationally for 36 years. For the first time in the nation's women's hockey history, they've suffered relegation from the top group of international competition. It happened at the U-18 women's World Championships after Finland went 0-5-0.
After finishing last in their pool, falling 5-2 to Slovakia, 14-0 to USA, and 9-1 to Czechia, Finland lost to Canada 12-0 in the quarterfinals.
It set up a relegation game against Hungary to stay in the top division of the U-18 World Championships, but for the first time in the nation's history, Finland will head to the Division 1A World Championships next year.
That relegation comes after Finland lost 7-5 to Hungary in the deciding game.
Hungarian captain Reka Hiezl scored two goals and two assists, while assistant captain Petra Polonyi had a hat trick and two assists to lead the Hungarian attack. Blanka Temesi and Helga Tamas also scored for Hungary. On Finland's side, they tied the game at 4-4 early in the third, but couldn't overcome Hungary.
Senja Sivonen scored twice for Finland, while Emmi Loponen, Yenna Kolmonen, and Julia Kuhta also scored in the loss. It was also Finland's first ever loss to Hungary at the U-18 level.
Finland has appeared in the U-18 World Championships at the top division every year since the tournament was founded in 2008 winning bronze three times and finishing fourth three times. Last year Finland finished 6th out of eight teams narrowly missing the need to play in the relegation round by beating Japan 4-2 in pool play.
Finland's drastic drop in competitiveness in women's hockey should be alarming to the international field as Finland has maintained their place at the senior national level for decades. With many of their current stars heading toward retirement however, and the weakness of their main domestic loop, Auroraliiga, there is significant cause for concern to whether Finland's senior national program will follow a similar decline in the coming seasons.