USA – Czech Republic 3:4 (end) | Russia – France2 3:0 (end) | Canada2 – Finland 2:3 (end)
Sweden2 – Belarus 3:2 (end)
final
Canada2
2:3 (0:1, 2:0, 0:2)
Finland
Thursday 22.05.2014, 19:00 • Chizhovka-Arena, Minsk, Belarus • World Championship
     
    Welcome. This quarterfinal game starts at 20:00 EEST local time in Minsk, 19:00 CEST, 13:00 EDT.
     
    The quarterfinals of this year's World Championship in Minsk, Belarus, see some interesting matchups and this one sure is one of them. Canada meets Finland in a battle of two powerhouses, one of which has had a great year while the other has struggled.
     
    Team Canada dominated the Group A that was played at the Chizhovka-Arena and following shootout loss to France in the tournament opener, they only lost points to Sweden which they beat in overtime. Now they have won six straight games and will be looking to continue their winning streak against Suomi.
     
    Joel Ward and Cody Hodgson dominate the point-scoring of Team Canada and while the former is rather a power forward who's going hard to the net, the other is a technically gifted player with big-time skill. In the net, it will be interesting to see who gets the call as the starting goaltender, whether it will be James Reimer or Ben Scrivens.
     
    Finland kind of struggled in the preliminary round, first losing to Latvia and also losing points to Switzerland. They also managed to beat Kazakhstan by just a one-goal margin. Big win over Belarus and the fact that Latvians failed to get two points in their last two games are the main reasons why Suomi has been able to avoid a catastrophe and advance to the next round.
     
    Another big reason is the goaltender Pekka Rinne who has been amazing throughout the tournament and the Finns sure he will stay as great as he's been as he's been their most efficient weapon. Led by NHLers Olli Jokinen and Erik Haula, the Finnish offense only scored 18 goals in the 7 preliminary round games.
     
    The last time Canada met Finland at a World Championship was in 2012 at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland, where two points by Jussi Jokinen weren't enough for Suomi as Cam Ward made 35 saves and Evander Kane scored the game winner in the third for a Team Canada 5-3 victory.
     
    Starting lineups:

    Canada: Scrivens (Reimer) – Bieksa "C", Garrison, Coburn, Myers, Ellis, Gudbranson, Rielly – B. Schenn, Burrows, MacKinnon – Turris "A", Read, Chimera "A" – Hodgson, Brouwer, Kadri – Huberdeau, Monahan, J. Ward – Scheifele.

    Finland: Rinne (Koskinen) – Mantyla, Hietanen, Ohtamaa, Karalahti, Kivisto, Lajunen, Marttinen – Lehtera "A", Kontiola, Pakarinen – O. Jokinen "C", Haula, Komarov "A" – Jormakka, Immonen, Palola – Salomaki, T. Sallinen, Huhtala – J. Sallinen.

    Referees: Brueggemann (GER), Olenin (RUS) – Carnathan (USA), Schrader (GER)..
     
    The teams are warming up and the game will start in less than half an hour.
     
    The mascot Volat is now getting the fans to make some noise and we will begin soon here at the Chizhovka-Arena.
     
    Both teams are on the ice with two minutes left before the opening puckdrop.
     
    Second line will start for Team Canada while the Finns have the top line starting.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    00:01
    The Finns win the opening draw.
     
    00:09
    Scrivens gloves a long dump-in to halt the play.
     
    00:16
    Giveaway by Lehtera and the Canadians can start the other way.
     
    00:28
    Coburn's got the puck deep in his own zone.
     
    00:37
    Turris battling for it behind Rinne, but the Finns get possession.
     
    00:58
    Komarov set up Ohtamaa for a long shot, Scrivens makes the stop.
     
    01:06
    The Canadians clear the puck for an icing.
     
    01:20
    Jormakka set up Lajunen for a shot with Immonen screening in front, stays out.
     
    01:40
    Ellis has the puck behind Scrivens waiting for a line change.
     
    01:56
    Quick counter-attack by Canada halted by the Finns and they go the other way.
     
    02:07
    Big save by Scrivens on a good shot by Tommi Sallinen.
     
    02:13
    Kontiola won another faceoff and that set up a shot by Hietanen with Pakarinen providing screen in front and a deflection as well, but the puck ends up going wide.
     
    02:13
    Jori Lehtera (FIN) gets two minutes for interference.
     
    02:27
    Ellis has the puck in his own zone looking to start out.
     
    02:38
    Schenn carried it in and the Canadians settle.
     
    02:50
    Schenn with a big shot from the left circle, good stop by Rinne.
     
    03:07
    Ellis just kept the puck in and then Schenn was set up on the doorstep, but Rinne came up wit h a huge save.
     
    03:20
    Cleared down the ice by Suomi.
     
    03:37
    Big slapper by Bieksa just misses the net.
     
    03:59
    Rielly finally decided to fire one, but it's blocked in front.
     
    04:13
    Lehtera returns to the ice, but the Canadians still pressure.
     
    04:25
    Following another shot by Bieksa, the Finns get the puck out and will look to establish a counter-attack.
     
    04:31
    Tyler Myers (CAN) gets two minutes for roughing.
     
    04:38
    Coburn clears it out.
     
    04:52
    Jokinen gets it in and Finland settles.
     
    05:11
    Karalahti gave it to Jokinen who looked to set up somebody in front, but the puck went though.
     
    05:25
    Read intercepts a pass along the boards and sends it towards Rinne.
     
    05:43
    Lehtera raced back into the Canadian zone, but the linesmen stopped him as he went offside.
     
    05:49
    Hietanen back in his own zone with the puck.
     
    06:02
    Jormakka centered one and Bieksa did a good job to prevent Lehtera from touching it.
     
    06:14
    Goal for Team Finland!

    It's a goal for the Finns who open the scoring on the powerplay! Big one-timer from the top of the left circle by OLLI PALOLA ends up going past Scrivens and into the back of the net. What a shot and what a setup.

    Asissted by Juuso Hietanen and Jori Lehtera.
     
    06:34
    Pakarinen dumped the puck in and now Canada has it.
     
    06:49
    Haula looked to set up Kontiola in front, but the pass is deflected aside.
     
    07:38
    Salomaki was attacked by Ellis, but keeps possession.
     
    07:50
    Ward goes for a line change and leaves it for Gudbranson to start out.
     
    08:07
    It's dumped into the Finnish zone, but Suomi are going back with it.
     
    08:15
    Good shot by Jokinen misses the net.
     
    08:31
    Suomi back in their own zone.
     
    08:39
    Pakarinen with a shot from a tough angle, covered by Scrivens and a commercial break ensues.
     
    08:44
    Long pass by Coburn intercepted in center ice.
     
    09:02
    Big turnover by Kontiola and Chimera had the puck in front, but he only hit Rinne with a shot.
     
    09:12
    Offside against Team Canada.
     
    09:25
    Immonen had the puck, but his pass doesn't look good thanks to a deflection by MacKinnon.
     
    09:40
    The Canadians went the other way and the dump-in by MacKinnon took a strange deflection off the glass in the corner with Rinne behind the net, Schenn could have scored into the empty net, but Hietanen got to it faster.
     
    10:15
    Scheifele with a chance in front but he misses the net.
     
    10:40
    Scheifele loses the puck behind Rinne's net and the Finns can go the other way.
     
    10:50
    But they give it up and Bieksa looks to set something up.
     
    11:10
    Hodgson and Brouwer had the puck on the doorstep, but can't close.
     
    11:24
    Hietanen with a shot and a follow up by Pakarinen causes a lot of trouble and so does his pursuit of the puck at the doorstep.
     
    11:46
    MacKinnon dumps it into the Finnish zone.
     
    12:12
    Canada was in the zone for quite a long time and Ellis had a chance in front, but couldn't get to the puck in time.
     
    12:25
    Now an odd-man rush the other way with Palola and Jormakka racing into the zone, but Ellis got there in time to break up the pass.
     
    12:50
    Commercial break as Rinne gloved the puck on the last chance by Canada's second line.
     
    13:05
    Kivisto carried the puck in, but Haula lost it in the corner.
     
    13:20
    Huge one-timer by Brouwer on a delayed call is kicked aside by Rinne.
     
    13:21
    Erik Haula (FIN) gets called for high-sticking.
     
    13:30
    Great setup by MacKinnon for Schenn for a shot from point-blank range, Rinne makes another quick pad save.
     
    13:38
    Ohtamaa clears the puck, Scrivens will go play it.
     
    13:54
    MacKinnon sent the puck through doorstep with Ward in front, goes all the way back to Scrivens.
     
    14:20
    Garrison and MacKinnon keep it in, but then give it to Ohtamaa for a long clear right on goal.
     
    14:54
    Kadri fires one off the post!
     
    15:10
    Kadri with another good shot from the right side, this time misses the net.
     
    15:30
    Lehtera with a big shot with Haula out of the box and the latter came there for the rebound, but Scrivens has been great.
     
    16:03
    Komarov looked to send it five-hole, but Scrivens closed the door on him.
     
    16:24
    Ohtamaa dumped it in and Pakarinen almost got their first after Scrivens played it, but Garrison did that.
     
    16:59
    Bieksa dumps the puck in and Scheifele with Monahan are able to dig it out.
     
    17:09
    Vicious crosscheck by Jere Karalahti (FIN) and that's a two-minute penalty.
     
    17:40
    MacKinnon looked to set up Schenn, but the latter fanned on it.
     
    17:50
    Ellis had a great position for a shot, but Huberdeau is called for standing in the goal crease.
     
    18:22
    Komarov cutting time off the powerplay by skating into the Canadian zone and then clearing the puck back into his own zone.
     
    18:56
    Big shots by Hodgson and Bieksa, but Rinne comes up with a couple of great saves.
     
    19:04
    Hodgson had a chance on a delayed call and made a couple of moves in front, Rinne stops that too, but the forward failed to get a shot away.
     
    19:04
    Tommi Kivisto (FIN) called for cross-checking.
     
    19:32
    Bieksa fires one through bodies in front and that leads to a scrum between Ward and Karalahti.
     
    19:53
    Garrison adnd Hodgson fired shots on Rinne, but the Finnish netminder has been amazing in the first period.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    In first period we saw good-looking hockey with both teams getting chances. Canada outshot Finland 12-9, but the only goal was scored by Olli Palola on a powerplay. Both netminders have been amazing as well with Pekka Rinne still able to get a shutout and Ben Scrivens also making some good stops for the Canadians.
     
    Tune back in for the second period at 8:48 PM EET.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    20:19
    Schenn carried the puck in but then lost possession behind the net.
     
    20:33
    Ellis starts out from behind his own net.
     
    20:44
    Schenn turns it over again and the Finns clear.
     
    21:08
    Read dumps it in with Kivisto leaving the penalty box.
     
    21:48
    Karalahti fired one, but the Canadians get possession and get the puck out.
     
    21:58
    Now a shot with Read on the doorstep and it went high, but Rinne was able to make the stop.
     
    22:40
    Long shot by Ellis misses the net.
     
    23:03
    Bieksa has the puck in the corner in his own zone.
     
    23:29
    The puck was dumped in and the Finns regained possession to get it back out.
     
    23:58
    Myers dumps it in.
     
    24:10
    Centering pass by Myers intercepted by Mantyla.
     
    24:20
    Finnish counter-attack stopped on the Canadian blue line.
     
    24:40
    Lehtera fired one just wide, Scrivens pokes the rebound away.
     
    24:58
    The puck is cleared after a blocked shot by Kontiola.
     
    25:21
    Long shot by Gudbranson, glove save made by Rinne.
     
    25:41
    Goal for Team Canada!

    Team Canada has tied it up! About five minutes into the second period, Read carried the puck over the blue line after a give-and-go with KYLE TURRIS who then one-timed a blast from just inside the blue line and Rinne had no chance at all. Long snipe to tie the score by the Ottawa-based forward.

    Assisted by Matt Read.
     
    26:27
    Karalahti fires one from the right circle and that might have gone off the post.
     
    27:03
    Couple of shots by Kadri as after his first one was blocked, the other had to be stopped by Rinne.
     
    27:51
    One-timer by Garrison blocked by Pakarinen.
     
    28:30
    Bieksa couldn't clear it, but now Turris carries it out.
     
    28:39
    It was intercepted in the neutral zone and Immonen fired one on goal, good stop made by Scrivens.
     
    29:08
    Tomi Sallinen received the puck on the doorstep, but couldn't do what he intended to.
     
    29:50
    Lajunen clears it for an icing.
     
    30:09
    Coburn with a mispass, icing against Canada.
     
    30:35
    Faceoff in front of Rinne after another icing.
     
    31:01
    Brouwer threw the puck on goal with Kadri looking for a deflection, it goes through the crease and out.
     
    31:21
    One-timer by Hodgson goes wide.
     
    31:42
    Haula with a shot from the right side, Scrivens holds on to the puck.
     
    31:52
    Gudbranson with a shot and a big skirmish ensues and penalties will be dealt out.
     
    31:52
    Kyle Turris (CAN) and Jere Karalahti (FIN) get two minutes each for roughing.
     
    32:08
    Goal for Team Canada!

    The Canadians take a come-from-behind lead with eight minutes left in the second period. MARK SCHEIFELE carried the puck into the Finnish zone and deep closer to Rinne and then he just ripped one past the goaltender and into the back of the net. What a shot by the Winnipeg Jets forward.

    Unassisted.
     
    32:52
    Chances on both sides, Rinne covers up.
     
    33:17
    Jason Garrison (CAN) tips a shot wide and then he trips up his man, that's two minutes.
     
    33:24
    Big one-timer by Mantyla, save by Scrivens.
     
    33:38
    Another huge one-timer by Mantyla, this time goes wide.
     
    33:53
    Mantyla can't keep the puck in the zone and now he'll get a penalty.
     
    33:56
    Tuukka Mantyla (FIN) gets two minutes for interference.
     
    34:07
    Kadri fans on a one-timer, that would have been a big chance.
     
    34:20
    The Finns went the other way, but Scrivens didn't have to make a save.
     
    34:40
    Now Scrivens stops a big shot by Jokinen.
     
    34:52
    Another shot by Jokinen, Scrivens covers up.
     
    35:19
    Garrison leaves the box and the Canadians settle in the Swedish zone.
     
    35:39
    Big one-timer by Garrison, pad save by Rinne.
     
    35:56
    Karalahti is back on the ice.
     
    36:29
    Canadians couldn't make anything happen with the possession and now have to defend against a counter-attack.
     
    37:18
    Karalahti fires one from the blue line, but he misses the net.
     
    37:32
    Ellis has his shot deflected out of danger by Marttinen.
     
    38:14
    Hodgson carried it in and looked to set up Scheifele, but they were offside, but couldn't hear the whislte through the noise.
     
    38:14
    Tempers flare with Karalahti, Bieksa and Brouwer and Komarov looking to settle up.
     
    38:36
    Shot by Jokinen misses the net.
     
    38:49
    Kadri dumped the puck on net and Rinne has to cover as the young Canadian looked for the rebound.
     
    39:34
    Chimera got the puck in deep and then Turris looked to get it in from a bad angle, but it stays out.
     
    39:47
    Chimera in front and it somehow stays out again.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    That last shot by Chimera actually went off the post, but it was a great period for the Canadians as they outshot Finland 14-7 and outscored Suomi 2-0 on goals by Kyle Turris and Mark Scheifele. The Finns will need more shots if they want to beat Scrivens, but the Canadians look determined to keep their lead as long as they need to.
     
    Stay tuned for the third period that will begin at 9:36 PM EET.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    40:28
    Goal for Team Finland!

    And the Finns tie the score less than half a minute into the third! JUUSO HIETANEN just carried the puck over the blue line and blasted one on Scrivens who looked like he had it, but it went through under his shoulder and just past the goal line. Scrivens would like to have that one back.

    Assisted by Jori Lehtera and Petri Kontiola.
     
    41:40
    The puck is in the Finnish zone, but the Finns have possession.
     
    42:16
    Hodgson had the puck close to the net, but the no-look pass goes all the way to Scrivens.
     
    42:33
    Scheifele went hard to the net after a shot by Huberdeau, covered up by Rinne.
     
    42:48
    Garrison with a one-timer from point-blank range, big pad save by Rinne.
     
    43:38
    Finns are under pressure and now Rinne got lucky that none of the shots got to him.
     
    44:06
    Gudbranson threw the puck on net, but Rinne snags it out of mid-air and gives the Canadians no chance on the rebound.
     
    45:14
    Finland under pressure again, but the Canadians can't even get a shot away.
     
    45:33
    Icing is called against Finland.
     
    45:48
    Huhtala carried the puck into the zone and fired one, goes wide.
     
    46:30
    Jokinen had the puck in the offensive zone, but he loses possession.
     
    47:01
    It was dumped in, but Jormakka couldn't make anything happen so the Canadians go the other way.
     
    47:20
    And that's been the story of the third, teams having possession in the offensive zone, but not getting any shots away so the other team eventually gets it out.
     
    48:00
    Huberdeau had possession, but again, no shots fired.
     
    48:16
    Schenn dives ahead to get the puck out of the zone.
     
    48:25
    Hard dump-in by Kontiola almost set up a rebound in front of Scrivens who had to poke it away.
     
    48:40
    Tomi Sallinen almost went all alone on Scrivens, but Ellis dove ahead to poke the puck away.
     
    49:30
    Finland has been better in the third than in the second and now the puck is in the Canadain zone again.
     
    49:57
    Jokinen fires one on goal, Scrivens makes a pad save.
     
    50:36
    Turris fires one with players in front, Rinne makes a glove save.
     
    50:45
    Ellis throws the puck on goal, Rinne with another glove save.
     
    51:01
    Finland clears the puck for an icing.
     
    51:26
    Coburn with a hard dump-in.
     
    52:03
    Canada has possession in their own zone.
     
    52:33
    Finns eliminate shooting options of Canadians again.
     
    52:42
    Huge opportunity for Jokinen in front, the shot goes wide.
     
    52:56
    Komarov operating with the puck, but it's cleared for an icing by Canada.
     
    52:58
    Team Canada calls a timeout.
     
    53:13
    Jokinen banks one off the side of the net.
     
    53:25
    Jokinen looked to deal a pass, but that sends Kadri into a counter-attack.
     
    53:32
    Kadri had his shot blocked in front.
     
    54:09
    Read look to center from below the goal line, but it didn't get through.
     
    54:43
    Palola with a shot from the blue line, goes over the bar.
     
    55:10
    Monahan threw the puck on net and it was blockered aside by Rinne.
     
    55:59
    Lajunen with two hard shots from the blue line, Scrivens keeping the score tied.
     
    56:24
    Offside against Canada.
     
    56:52
    Goal for Team Finland!

    The Finns come back and take the lead with three minutes left in the third! IIRO PAKARINEN receives a great pass in between the circles from Lehtera and fires one through the five-hole of Scrivens and in. What an interception and pass by Lehtera and what a shot, too.

    Assisted by Jori Lehtera.
     
    57:38
    Jokinen dumps the puck on net, but it looks like Scrivens lost his confidence as he only blockers it aside.
     
    58:00
    Two minutes left, game on for Canada.
     
    58:13
    Good pad save by Scrivens on Kontiola.
     
    58:28
    Scrivens pulled for an extra attacker.
     
    58:50
    What a play by Ellis to dive and poke the puck away with a Finnish player having a chance to fire into the open net.
     
    59:27
    MacKinnon sends one wide.
     
    59:36
    Garrison goes offside after a pass from Bieksa.
     
    59:36
    And this place is going totally nuts now that they announce that Belarus is leading Sweden 2-1.
     
    59:42
    Bieksa has it in his own zone.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    The last seconds saw a battle in the corner and then Bieksa had some words for Rinne and Haula, but Finland wins and advances pulling off an upset against Canada.
     
    Mark Scheifele and Iiro Pakarinen were named players of the game while Kevin Bieksa, Cody Hodgson and Joel Ward received the honors of three top players of their team on the tournament.
     
    Finland will advance to the semifinals and play with the Czech Republic on Saturday at the Minsk-Arena. (21:17:53)

    Radoslav Vavřina

    Goals and assists: 26. Turris (Read), 33. Scheifele – 7. Palola (Hietanen, Lehtera), 41. Hietanen (Lehtera, Kontiola), 57. Pakarinen (Lehtera)


    Canada2: Scrivens (Reimer) – Bieksa "C", Garrison, Coburn, Myers, Ellis, Gudbranson, Rielly – B. Schenn, Burrows, MacKinnon – Turris "A", Read, Chimera "A" – Hodgson, Brouwer, Kadri – Huberdeau, Monahan, J. Ward – Scheifele.
    Finland: Rinne (Koskinen) – Mantyla, Hietanen, Ohtamaa, Karalahti, Kivisto, Lajunen, Marttinen – Lehtera "A", Kontiola, Pakarinen – O. Jokinen "C", Haula, Komarov "A" – Jormakka, Immonen, Palola – Salomaki, T. Sallinen, Huhtala – J. Sallinen.

    Referees: Brueggemann (GER), Olenin (RUS) – Carnathan (USA), Schrader (GER).