Sochi, Russia -- Jamie Benn supplied the lone goal of the contest at 1:41 of the second period, and Canada earned the right to defend its gold medal thanks to a 1-0 decision over Team USA in Friday's semifinal of the Sochi Olympics.
Carey Price turned aside all 31 shots he faced for the Canadians, who will take on Sweden in Sunday's title contest. The Swedes advanced earlier Friday with a 2-1 victory over Finland.
"A lot of people expect us to be there, and expect us to just show up in the final and have a chance to play for the gold medal," said Canadian forward and Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. "But we knew it was going to be a lot of work, a lot of effort and a lot of adversity to get there."
Canada, which topped the U.S. in a memorable overtime contest four years ago in Vancouver to claim gold, reached the Olympic final for the fifth time since 1992.
Jonathan Quick made 36 saves for the Americans, who must regroup quickly for a matchup with the Finns in Saturday's bronze medal tilt.
The United States, which has a checkered history on the international stage, suffered its first shutout loss in the Olympics since falling 5-0 to Czechoslovakia on Feb. 8, 1976.
"We're coming home with a bronze medal. After we put this loss behind us we'll be back to do that," said a defiant USA head coach Dan Bylsma following the game. That would be a tough thing to accomplish, as America hasn't collected a third-place medal since 1936 at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Quick, the LA Kings' starting goaltender, was beaten only once. Jay Bouwmeester unleashed a low, hard shot from the left point which skittered into the slot and was redirected home by Benn for the winning margin.
Canada improved to 4-1 in Olympic action against its southern neighbors since NHL players began competing in 1998.
USA defenseman John Carlson released the first quality chance for either side at the six-minute mark of the scoreless opening period, but Price stayed put in his crease to glove down the rising shot with traffic sliding in to his right.
Quick was sharp with 16 saves in the game's initial 20 minutes, while Price was good on 11 shots. Both nations misfired on their respective power-play chances.
Following Benn's marker, the Americans failed to convert two subsequent power- play opportunities, and couldn't dent Price on 11 more shots during the middle frame. Quick was equal to the other 11 pucks he faced to keep it a one-goal margin.
Canada couldn't expand its edge on a hooking call to Phil Kessel just before the midway point of the third period, but its defense did an expert job keeping its foes away from the middle of the ice.
Chris Kunitz had a golden opportunity to expand the Canadians' lead when he was left alone in front of Quick, but pushed his rebound try wide of the far side with 5 1/2 minutes to play.
Due to Canadian forechecking pressure, Quick wasn't summoned to the bench for an extra attacker until less than a minute remained, and the Americans couldn't reward his effort with an equalizer.
On Thursday, Canada's women snagged its fourth straight Gold with a thrilling comeback 3-2 overtime victory against America's top females.
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Friday, February 21, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Heartbreaker: Canada rallies past USA in OT for Gold
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| Thanks to UPI |
The deciding advantage was created when Hilary Knight was called for a questionable cross-checking minor when taking down Hayley Wickenheiser on a clean breakaway roughly 7 1/2 minutes into the extra session.
Under current NHL rules, what looked like a simple hook as Wickenheiser had a two-stride lead easily would have been called a penalty shot. The call was initially just that, then rescinded to a simple minor penalty.
"I think it is no different – officiating, developing players, developing programs – the game is growing by leaps and bounds," USA head coach Katey Stone said. "The speed and pace of the game is tremendous. It is a great, great product. We have to make sure that every part of the game operation, the game management, is developing at as fast a rate as it possibly can."
Laura Fortino received a pass from Haley Irwin as the Americans scrambled to shift their defense, leaving Poulin alone on the left side to hit the Gold-medal winning shot into an open net.
"This is the best feeling ever. It's like a dream come true," Philip said. "This was a team effort. We never gave up, and now we know what all that hard work was for."
The dream also appeared out of a nightmare for Canada head coach Kevin Dineen, who began this season as head coach for the Florida Panthers but was fired on November 8 and then named to his current post on December 17.
"Sometimes one door closes and another one opens. I don't know how that all works out," Dineen admitted. "I haven't read the manual on where I go from here. It's a little bit of a left turn to take on this job. As I told my players before the game, the first time I met with them, I couldn't wait to get on the ice with them. In the last two months, I think I've become better at what I've done."
Brianne Jenner got the rally from a 2-0 deficit going for the Canadians, who have won the title four straight times and have come away victorious in 20 straight contests on the world stage since losing to Team USA in Nagano 16 years ago.
Meghan Duggan and Alex Carpenter lit the lamp for the USA, which claimed its second straight Silver against its northern neighbors and medaled for the fifth time in as many Olympiads.
After missing out on a pair of power-play chances in the opening period as Canada attempted to take the body, the Americans took control in the middle frame.
Duggan finally snapped the scoreless deadlock with 8:03 remaining in the period, when her rising shot from the left circle settled inside the far post through a screen of multiple players.
Despite the lead, America began to take some liberties and paid the price. Team Canada enjoyed 32 seconds' worth of a 5-on-3 advantage starting with 5:46 to play, but failed to capitalize on either end of the advantage thanks to the USA's shot-blocking acumen.
Team USA picked up a crucial insurance goal at the tail end of its first power play of the third period, when Knight's hard pass to the right post was tipped home by Carpenter for a 2-0 game at 2:01.
Things got interesting with 3:26 on the clock, as Jenner cut through the offensive zone and her deflected shot fluttered past Jessie Vetter to make it 2-1.
Shannon Szabados was called to the bench for an extra skater with more than 90 seconds left, and a try to the empty net from center ice by Kellie Stack skittered off the left post with 1:24 to play. That came back to haunt the hosts, as Vetter failed to properly knock a puck away from her crease and Poulin capitalized with 54.6 seconds to play.
"That's how you knew it just wasn't meant to be," said Stack, who nonetheless will return to Boston College, which took the Beanpot and clinched the Hockey East regular season title. "The puck literally missed by an inch. We have to keep telling ourselves that everything happens for a reason and if we were meant to win it, it would have gone in."
Szabados came up with 27 stops, while counterpart Vetter stopped 28 shots but not the most important one.
Earlier in the day, the Bronze medal went to Switzerland, which fell behind Sweden by two goals in the first period but stormed back to win, 4-3. Jessica Lutz provided the game winner with 6:17 left in regulation, as the Swiss medaled for the first time in Olympic competition.
Monday, February 17, 2014
USA and Canada to battle for Gold
Sochi, Russia -- There was clearly no looking ahead for the U.S. women's hockey team.
The Americans accounted for the first 26 shots in their semifinal against Sweden and rolled to a 6-1 victory, earning a spot in the gold medal game on Thursday against Canada.
Alex Carpenter, Kacey Bellamy and Amanda Kessel scored to stake the Americans to a 3-0 lead before the Swedes even registered a shot against U.S. goaltender Jessie Vetter late in the opening period.
The United States outshot Sweden by a whopping 70-9 count in the rout. Monique Lamoureux, Megan Bozek and Brianna Decker also scored for the Americans, who haven't won gold since women's hockey made its Olympic debut at the 1998 Games in Nagano.
Canada, which advanced on Monday with a 3-1 win over Switzerland, lost to the U.S. in the 1998 title game, but has since won the last three Olympic gold medals, beating the Americans in the championship game in 2002 and 2010.
"We're very pleased and taking the moment to recognize where we're at and what we're going to be playing for on Thursday," said U.S. head coach Katey Stone. "Again, we're building here and the best is yet to come we hope."
Sweden has just one victory in 28 meetings with the U.S., but it was a big win -- a 3-2 shootout triumph in the 2006 Olympic semifinals. The Americans gained a measure of revenge four years later with a 9-1 rout of the Swedes in the 2010 Olympic semis.
Anna Borgqvist was credited with the lone goal for Sweden late in the contest, spoiling Vetter's shutout bid. Vetter finished with just eight saves.
Valentina Wallner started in net for Sweden and was pulled after yielding five goals on 47 shots. Kim Martin Hasson turned aside all but one of the 23 shots she faced in relief, including a penalty shot by Jocelyne Lamoureux late in the third.
The Americans grabbed a 1-0 lead on a power play. Kelli Stack carried the puck through the offensive zone along the right wing and circled behind the net before firing a pass into the slot for Carpenter, whose shot was headed wide but deflected off the skate of a Swedish defender and slid into the net.
Bellamy increased the advantage just 1:06 later when a blast from the left point eluded a screened Wallner, and Kessel chipped in a rebound from the left side of the crease with 8:41 remaining in the period to make it 3-0.
The Swedes took a timeout after the third goal and had a couple of chances on the power play late in the period, but managed just one harmless shot.
An interference penalty on Sweden's Pernilla Winberg early in the second period led to Monique Lamoureux's power-play goal, and Bozek's point blast slid under Wallner with 7:43 left in the second for a 5-0 cushion.
Wallner was pulled soon after.
The Swedes finally snuck a shot past Vetter, as Borgqvist deflected an Emma Eliasson point shot into the back of the net with 6:56 remaining.
The Americans had a hard time beating Martin Hasson, who made a nice pad save on Jocelyne Lamoureux's penalty shot attempt. Lamoureux tried a spin move in front of the crease and Hasson kept the right pad extended to turn aside the backhand attempt.
Martin Hasson finally yielded a goal with 3:02 to play when Decker's shot from the slot rang off the crossbar and Swedish defenseman Emilia Andersson inadvertently kicked it into her own net.
Sweden will play Switzerland for the bronze on Thursday.
"We have the most important match for a medal left now, so we just have to give 100 percent there," Winberg stated.
The Swedes placed fourth in Vancouver after winning Silver at Torino in 2006. Switzerland, win or lose, will see its highest finish in Olympic history.
The Americans accounted for the first 26 shots in their semifinal against Sweden and rolled to a 6-1 victory, earning a spot in the gold medal game on Thursday against Canada.
Alex Carpenter, Kacey Bellamy and Amanda Kessel scored to stake the Americans to a 3-0 lead before the Swedes even registered a shot against U.S. goaltender Jessie Vetter late in the opening period.
The United States outshot Sweden by a whopping 70-9 count in the rout. Monique Lamoureux, Megan Bozek and Brianna Decker also scored for the Americans, who haven't won gold since women's hockey made its Olympic debut at the 1998 Games in Nagano.
Canada, which advanced on Monday with a 3-1 win over Switzerland, lost to the U.S. in the 1998 title game, but has since won the last three Olympic gold medals, beating the Americans in the championship game in 2002 and 2010.
"We're very pleased and taking the moment to recognize where we're at and what we're going to be playing for on Thursday," said U.S. head coach Katey Stone. "Again, we're building here and the best is yet to come we hope."
Sweden has just one victory in 28 meetings with the U.S., but it was a big win -- a 3-2 shootout triumph in the 2006 Olympic semifinals. The Americans gained a measure of revenge four years later with a 9-1 rout of the Swedes in the 2010 Olympic semis.
Anna Borgqvist was credited with the lone goal for Sweden late in the contest, spoiling Vetter's shutout bid. Vetter finished with just eight saves.
Valentina Wallner started in net for Sweden and was pulled after yielding five goals on 47 shots. Kim Martin Hasson turned aside all but one of the 23 shots she faced in relief, including a penalty shot by Jocelyne Lamoureux late in the third.
The Americans grabbed a 1-0 lead on a power play. Kelli Stack carried the puck through the offensive zone along the right wing and circled behind the net before firing a pass into the slot for Carpenter, whose shot was headed wide but deflected off the skate of a Swedish defender and slid into the net.
Bellamy increased the advantage just 1:06 later when a blast from the left point eluded a screened Wallner, and Kessel chipped in a rebound from the left side of the crease with 8:41 remaining in the period to make it 3-0.
The Swedes took a timeout after the third goal and had a couple of chances on the power play late in the period, but managed just one harmless shot.
An interference penalty on Sweden's Pernilla Winberg early in the second period led to Monique Lamoureux's power-play goal, and Bozek's point blast slid under Wallner with 7:43 left in the second for a 5-0 cushion.
Wallner was pulled soon after.
The Swedes finally snuck a shot past Vetter, as Borgqvist deflected an Emma Eliasson point shot into the back of the net with 6:56 remaining.
The Americans had a hard time beating Martin Hasson, who made a nice pad save on Jocelyne Lamoureux's penalty shot attempt. Lamoureux tried a spin move in front of the crease and Hasson kept the right pad extended to turn aside the backhand attempt.
Martin Hasson finally yielded a goal with 3:02 to play when Decker's shot from the slot rang off the crossbar and Swedish defenseman Emilia Andersson inadvertently kicked it into her own net.
Sweden will play Switzerland for the bronze on Thursday.
"We have the most important match for a medal left now, so we just have to give 100 percent there," Winberg stated.
The Swedes placed fourth in Vancouver after winning Silver at Torino in 2006. Switzerland, win or lose, will see its highest finish in Olympic history.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Around The Rink USA-Canada Preview
by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine
When last we saw these neighboring hockey superpowers, it was eight years ago on American soil, battling for world supremacy.
Despite a valiant effort, Team USA was unable to cap their run in Salt Lake City, seeing Canada tally three times late in the third period en route to its first Gold medal since 1952.
Following the inspired victory, Team Canada officials and players revealed the nation's good luck charm: a one-dollar coin, nicknamed a "loonie" buried beneath center ice.
American hockey fans seethed at the breech of decorum, and have been waiting silently since 2002 for their countrymen to steal back that thunder in the Great White North.
After a dismal showing by both countries in Torino, which saw Canada wind up seventh and the United States finishing eighth, each nation has something important on the line while facing each other on Sunday.
For the hosts flying under the Maple Leaf, they need to prove not only that 2006 was a major fluke, but also that 2002 wasn't. The obsession which surrounds Canada as the progenitor of the sport won't permit any other expectation than a medal at the very least.
The fact that younger, brasher and more spirited Americans won the World Junior Championship in Regina in early January doesn't help the situation.
On the other hand, Team USA faces no international expectations whatsoever. They do, however, have to focus their internal desire to prove themselves worthy on the world stage into executing a smart game plan.
United States hasn't beaten Canada at any Olympic level since February 25, 1960 at Squaw Valley, with a 3-3 tie in 1994 at Lillehammer the only point earned since.
The Red, White and Blue allowed Norway to control the middle portion of a 6-1 win on Thursday, and didn't assume full control until a three-goal burst in the final five minutes.
America needs to come up with an aggressive yet restrictive system in order to harness what is a clear talent and size advantage by Canada. A healthy dose of good old underdog spirit can't hurt either, along with Ryan Miller needing to outperform Martin Brodeur in goal.
The anvil on Canada's collective broad shoulders has an extra 500-pound weight attached after it eked out a victory on Thursday over Switzerland.
Had the Swiss somehow upset the Canadians, you can be dead certain that the Americans would be nothing more than baby deer in the headlights of an oncoming speeding train come Sunday evening.
Instead, the narrow 3-2 shootout victory only intensifies and amplifies the scrutiny for the home team. It may be akin to a national embarrassment if Canada posts nothing less than a rousing regulation victory.
Due to the point ranking system for the medal round, a loss of any kind severely damages Canada's chances to receive a bye, while a close win in regulation or a one-goal decision in overtime or a shootout can accomplish the same.
That means a double psychological advantage shifts to Team USA.
Keep this fact in mind: On just two occasions in Olympic history has the host nation won the Gold.
I'll give you a second...it'll come to ya.
That's right. The United States, in 1960 and 1980. Both "Miracles on Ice"
Final Score: USA 5, Canada 4.
The Phanatic Magazine
When last we saw these neighboring hockey superpowers, it was eight years ago on American soil, battling for world supremacy.
Despite a valiant effort, Team USA was unable to cap their run in Salt Lake City, seeing Canada tally three times late in the third period en route to its first Gold medal since 1952.
Following the inspired victory, Team Canada officials and players revealed the nation's good luck charm: a one-dollar coin, nicknamed a "loonie" buried beneath center ice.
American hockey fans seethed at the breech of decorum, and have been waiting silently since 2002 for their countrymen to steal back that thunder in the Great White North.
After a dismal showing by both countries in Torino, which saw Canada wind up seventh and the United States finishing eighth, each nation has something important on the line while facing each other on Sunday.
For the hosts flying under the Maple Leaf, they need to prove not only that 2006 was a major fluke, but also that 2002 wasn't. The obsession which surrounds Canada as the progenitor of the sport won't permit any other expectation than a medal at the very least.
The fact that younger, brasher and more spirited Americans won the World Junior Championship in Regina in early January doesn't help the situation.
On the other hand, Team USA faces no international expectations whatsoever. They do, however, have to focus their internal desire to prove themselves worthy on the world stage into executing a smart game plan.
United States hasn't beaten Canada at any Olympic level since February 25, 1960 at Squaw Valley, with a 3-3 tie in 1994 at Lillehammer the only point earned since.
The Red, White and Blue allowed Norway to control the middle portion of a 6-1 win on Thursday, and didn't assume full control until a three-goal burst in the final five minutes.
America needs to come up with an aggressive yet restrictive system in order to harness what is a clear talent and size advantage by Canada. A healthy dose of good old underdog spirit can't hurt either, along with Ryan Miller needing to outperform Martin Brodeur in goal.
The anvil on Canada's collective broad shoulders has an extra 500-pound weight attached after it eked out a victory on Thursday over Switzerland.
Had the Swiss somehow upset the Canadians, you can be dead certain that the Americans would be nothing more than baby deer in the headlights of an oncoming speeding train come Sunday evening.
Instead, the narrow 3-2 shootout victory only intensifies and amplifies the scrutiny for the home team. It may be akin to a national embarrassment if Canada posts nothing less than a rousing regulation victory.
Due to the point ranking system for the medal round, a loss of any kind severely damages Canada's chances to receive a bye, while a close win in regulation or a one-goal decision in overtime or a shootout can accomplish the same.
That means a double psychological advantage shifts to Team USA.
Keep this fact in mind: On just two occasions in Olympic history has the host nation won the Gold.
I'll give you a second...it'll come to ya.
That's right. The United States, in 1960 and 1980. Both "Miracles on Ice"
Final Score: USA 5, Canada 4.
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