Team Canada is heading to the gold medal game after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Finland. It was a rollercoaster of a match that saw Canada pull off a comeback, capped by a late power play goal.
While their opponent is still up in the air, with Slovakia and the United States yet to battle it out, Canada is set to compete for either gold or silver on Sunday morning. Let’s break down the action.
In the first period, things got tense when Sam Bennett took a goaltender interference penalty. Finland capitalized on the power play, with Mikko Rantanen firing one home to give them a 1-0 lead. It was a tough break for Canada, but they weren’t out of it yet.
The second period started with Finland in the lead, but they soon found themselves shorthanded. Just 23 seconds into Canada’s power play, Erik Haula turned the tables, scoring a short-handed goal with a slick backhand past Cale Makar. It was a moment of brilliance for Finland, but Canada wasn’t backing down.
Canada got on the board later in the second period. With Finland down a man, Makar sent a shot from the point that Sam Reinhart deftly deflected into the net, cutting the deficit to one.
The third period was all about Canada’s relentless pursuit of the equalizer. They finally broke through when Shea Theodore’s shot bounced off Juuse Saros’ shoulder and into the net, tying the game at two. There was a brief moment of controversy over potential interference, but it was clear that Haula’s contact with Brad Marchand didn’t prevent Saros from making the save.
With the clock winding down, Niko Mikkola’s high-sticking penalty gave Canada a crucial power play opportunity. It was a nail-biter, but Connor McDavid found Nathan MacKinnon with a cross-ice pass, and MacKinnon buried it to send Canada to the gold medal game. Finland’s offside challenge was quickly dismissed, sealing the victory for Canada.
A few takeaways from the game: Connor McDavid was once again a standout performer, picking up his 12th point of the tournament, breaking the record for most points by an NHL player at the Olympics. He added another assist on the game-winner, surpassing the previous record held by Saku Koivu and Teemu Selänne.
This was another narrow escape for Team Canada, similar to their nail-biter against Czechia. They’ve shown resilience, but they’ll need to tighten things up for the final showdown.
As for who they’ll face, that’s still undecided with Team USA and Slovakia set to clash. Canada will be hoping for the return of Sidney Crosby, who missed this game, with McDavid stepping up as captain.
The gold medal game is set for Sunday at 6:10 AM ET. Get ready for what promises to be an epic battle on the ice.