INNSBRUCK, Jan 22 - Goalkeeper Kaapo KAHKONEN (FIN) guessed right twice to help Finland to a 2-1 shootout victory over Russia in an enthralling Men's Ice Hockey Gold medal game at the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games on Sunday.

"They (the Russians) are not like the Canadians, who like to shoot," KAHKONEN said. "They like to deke [fake]."

The Russians were 62 seconds away from the Innsbruck 2012 title when Finland's Waltteri HOPPONEN tied the game at 1-1, with KAHKONEN on the bench to give the Finns an extra skater.

The game went to overtime and when the tie was not broken, the championship match went to a shootout.

Manu HONKANEN (FIN) was up first and he snapped a 10-foot wrist shot past goalkeeper Sergey KOROBOV (RUS).

Maxim LAZAREV (RUS) followed and his deke on the stick side failed to fool KAHKONEN, giving Finland the advantage after the first round of shooters.

The impressive Kasperi KAPANEN (FIN) followed with a wrist shot that gave Finland a two-goal lead.

Russia called on captain Ivan NIKOLISHIN (RUS) but he too tried to deke the goalkeeper and again KAHKONEN made the save, and this time it clinched the Youth Olympic Games Gold for Finland.

"What a performance," KAPANEN said about his goalkeeper.

"It's probably the best game I have ever played," KAHKONEN said.

KAPANEN was an offensive threat every time he was on the ice and he relished being in the spotlight in the shootout.

"I like that, being the guy to win it for your team," he said. "I like the pressure."

The Finns were delighted to be wearing Gold around their necks after the match.

"This is awesome. It is pretty exciting," Jaakko HALLI (FIN) said.

KAHKONEN was a force in Finland's goal. There was a flurry late in the first period when he stopped the Russians twice on the same play with a pad save.

The Gold medal game was played at breath-taking pace. One minute the Russians were on the attack and a second later they were scrambling back to defend. And there were plenty of bone-crushing hits.

The Finns kept pressing for the equaliser, and KAPANEN insisted he never gave up hope, despite trailing going into the last two minutes.

"I have faith in these guys," he said.

While the Finns celebrated after the shootout, the Russians felt the sting of losing the lead with just over a minute left in regulation time.

"It was not our day, but I truly think that if we played 10 times with the Finnish, we would win all 10 times," NIKOLISHIN said.

"It is hard to play against them. They are a very technical team, it is easier for us to play power games, and the Finnish did not let us play our game."

"We were not relaxed today, I think we’ve played excellently," he added.

"We got tired as we were only 17 on a team. It was too difficult, and we were exhausted. Maybe we just did not have enough energy."

"A majority of guys had bumps and bruises they sustained throughout the game and it played on them."

YIS aa/rm