Antti Pihlstrom scored two goals and Janne Niskala added a single as Finland captured the bronze medal at the 2008 World Championships with a 4-0 win over Sweden in Quebec City on Saturday.
Pihlstrom and Niskala were teammates with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2007-08. Pihlstrom scored a team-high 27 goals and amassed 45 points in 78 games for Milwaukee, while Niskala finished second among all AHL defensemen with 19 goals and led Admirals blueliners with 44 points in 80 games.
Finland captured a medal for the third year in a row, after earning silver in 2007 and bronze in 2006.
Pihlstrom opened the scoring 11:31 into the game, on assists from AHL alumni Niko Kapanen and Hannes Hyvonen. Niskala opened up a 2-0 lead just over two minutes later, and Pihlstrom scored his team-best fifth goal of the tournament early in the third period.
Ville Koistinen, who was an AHL All-Star for Milwaukee in 2007, was also member of the Finnish team, as were Hershey Bears standout defenseman Sami Lepisto and 2005 AHL All-Star Mikko Koivu.
