Slovakia2 – Germany2 4:5 (1:2 after SO) | Hungary – Japan2 12:2 (end) | Finland – Sweden2 4:2 (end)
Austria – Brazil 5:1 (end) | USA – Canada2 5:6 (1:2 after SO) | Croatia – Australia 5:6 (after OT)
Czech Republic – xxx 6:1 (end) | Slovenia2 – Latvia 13:2 (end)
after shootout (1:2)
USA
5:6 (2:2, 1:1, 0:2, 1:0 - 0:0)
Canada2
Friday 06.06.2014, 17:00 • ČEZ Arena, Pardubice, Czech Republic • IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship
     
    There's still one more game today, the host Czechs against Great Britain. The winner guarantees a place in next year's tournament, while the loser will play Slovakia in tomorrow's relegation game.

    Then we have the medal games tomorrow in both divisions, so don't forget to come back! (18:45:49)
     
    Players of the game:

    USA – Travis Noe, 1 goal, 2 assists, shootout goal.
    CAN – Thomas Woods, 1 goal, 1 assist, shootout goal.

    The Canadian national anthem is now being played.
     
    Canada wins the game in a shootout, and will play Finland for the gold medal tomorrow. The USA will play Sweden for the bronze.
     
    Game over.
     
    Patrick Lee is stopped by Brett Leggatt, who makes a pad save.
     
    Dave Hammond is denied by Kuhn.
     
    Travis Noe does score, off the crossbar and in, but it's still 2-1 Canada after 2 rounds.
     
    Chris Terry scores on a wrister, and now the USA must score to stay alive.
     
    Matt White shoots wide for USA, 1-0 Canada after 1 round.
     
    Canada shoots first, and Thomas Woods scores, off the post and in stick side.
     
    Start of shootout.
     
    So, after 53 minutes of hockey it's 5-5, and so Canada and the USA will determine who goes to the final of this World Championship in a shootout.

    It will be a standard, 3-round shootout, and they seem to be having trouble deciding which team will shoot first.
     
    53:00
    Overtime finished.
     
    52:59
    Rodriguez with a long shot, trying for a buzzer-beater, but it's right on Leggat and he covers with :00.4 on the clock.
     
    51:38
    Timeout Canada. They want to win this game before it goes to a shootout.
     
    51:38
    Play is now stopped in the US zone.
     
    51:00
    And now an incredible stick save by Leggat lying on the ice! I don't know who the US player was, Junior Cadiz I think, but it looked like he had the game on his stick!
     
    50:45
    Foote with a slapper through a crowd, blocker save Kuhn.
     
    50:00
    US put on some pressure in the Canadian zone but don't get a quality shot.
     
    49:24
    Hammond fires a rocket and Jerry Kuhn with the huge save with the glove. US come back the other way . . .
     
    48:58
    Luscombe's shot deflects wide.
     
    48:26
    The puck deflects out of play early in overtime, faceoff in the US zone.
     
    36:01
    Overtime began.
     
    These teams will now play a 5-minute overtime period. If nobody scores, a shootout. The winner plays Finland in tomorrow's final. The loser will face Sweden for bronze.
     
    48:00
    End of the 4th period.
     
    47:20
    Hammond rushes down the left side, fires wide of the far post.
     
    46:28
    Noe's long shot is deflected out of play, faceoff in the Canadian zone.
     
    45:20
    Now White with a chance but he fans on a one-time attempt.
     
    45:00
    Kyle Henderson backhands it wide from in front of the US net.
     
    44:37
    USA rush, Thompson on the backhand hits Leggat and it goes out of play, faceoff inside.
     
    44:24
    Offside USA, as these two teams are playing quite conservatively right now, not wanting to make a costly mistake.
     
    43:40
    Kyle Novak tries to cut in from the boards but is forced wide.
     
    41:45
    Kavaya with a long wrister, pad save Leggat.
     
    41:07
    Travis Noe cuts in from the boards and tries to go top shelf as Leggat goes down but just misses the crossbar and it's out of play. Faceoff outside.
     
    40:05
    Woods with a long wrister, right on Kuhn, who covers.
     
    38:45
    Cadiz with a chance but shoots high.
     
    37:47
    Goal for Team USA!
    The dangerous US power play cashes in for the 3rd time today, as TRAVIS NOE snaps it home high blocker side.
    Assist: Patrick Lee.
     
    37:30
    Patrick Lee at the side of the net, denied by Leggat and Canada clear.
     
    36:55
    Brennan Lucombe, whose goal currently has Canada in the lead, is now going to the penalty box for hooking, so the USA looks to equalize on the power play.
     
    36:01
    Start of the 4th period.
     
    These two teams are just not letting up and you get the feeling this is going to go right down to the end, as they battle for a spot in tomorrow's final.
     
    36:00
    End of the 3rd period.
     
    35:51
    Play is now stopped, as the puck is under a pile of players in the corner. There are off-setting penalties to Derrick Burnett of the USA and Kirk French of Canada. We'll stay 4-on-4.
     
    35:30
    White through a crowd, pad save Leggat.
     
    35:15
    Spazia on the wraparound, denied.
     
    34:50
    Derrick Burnett leads a US rush, shoots wide.
     
    34:01
    Goal for Team Canada!
    From the boards, French backhands a pass into the middle, where BRENNAN LUSCOMBE is all alone, and he has all the time in the world to wait for Kuhn to commit, then goes high blocker side.
    Assist: Kirk French.
     
    31:45
    Now two big saves by Brett Leggat, one after the other, from point-blank range.
     
    31:30
    Junior Cadiz leads an American rush but can't beat the last man back and Leggat stops his backhander.
     
    29:33
    Goal for Team USA!
    They tie it right back up as PATRICK LEE's shot through traffic changes direction and beats Leggat. I'm not sure if it was a Canadian or US stick in front, but for now it's Lee's goal.
    Assists: Travis Noe, Cody Kettler.
     
    29:00
    Offside USA.
     
    28:37
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Shortly after they went to the power play, Canada takes the lead as Hammond passes across to CHRIS TERRY, whose one-time blast beats Kuhn on the short side.
    Assist: Dave Hammond.
     
    27:57
    There were a flurry of American shots but play is now called and Derrick Burnett, who was stationed right in front of the net, is being called for interference. I'm not sure if it was on the goalie or one of the defencemen around him, but we'll play 3-on-3 for a short time.
     
    27:15
    USA goes right to the attack, but play is whistled as the American player was in the goal crease, faceoff outside with 1:08 left in the penalty.
     
    26:53
    We're now getting a Canadian penalty, Thomas Woods for tripping in his own zone. US looking to break the tie on the power play, where they've scored twice already today.
     
    26:39
    Loose puck in the American zone, Baumgartner tries a shot but it deflects out of play, faceoff stays inside.
     
    25:00
    Canadian rush, Woods to Terry, pad save Kuhn.
     
    24:17
    USA with the first rush of the second half, Thompson's shot deflects high and out of play, faceoff in the Canadian zone.
     
    24:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    The teams are back on the floor and the second half will begin shortly.
     
    An intense game between these two games, with excellent end-to-end action. It was 2-2 after 1 and now 3-3 at the half.

    2nd half begins at 17:49 CEST, 11:49 EDT, 08:49 PDT.
     
    24:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    23:47
    Goal for Team Canada!
    After a USA 2-on-1 is broken up at one end, the Canadians come right back on the counter, French feathers a lovely pass to JOSH FOOTE, who goes to his backhand and upstairs to tie the game again.
    Assist: Kirk French.
     
    23:00
    Shot from Woods just after the penalty ends, right on Kuhn, who holds it.
     
    22:43
    Terry rips a one-timer wide.
     
    21:50
    But a shorthanded chance for the USA, as Greg Thompson's shot goes off the crossbar and up into the air.
     
    21:26
    Rafael Rodriguez is now called for tripping, as these teams continue to trade power play chances. It's Canada's turn.
     
    21:20
    Spezia speeds down the left wing, his shot hits the side of the net.
     
    19:28
    Goal for Team USA!
    Persistence pays off, as the pass goes across to the left-handed shot TYLER SPEZIA from the right circle, and he fires it inside the near post, high glove side. Power-play goal.
    Assists: Peter Kavaya, Junior Cadiz.
     
    19:09
    The US pass the puck around, a few blocked shots, finally, Matt White gets it through to Leggat, who holds on with :39 left in the penalty.
     
    18:18
    After a lengthy delay, Josh Foote goes off for tripping. US to the power play, 1/3.
     
    16:48
    USA 3-on-1, finishes as Rafael Rodriguez one-times it high and out of play.
     
    16:15
    Just as the penalty ends it's Terry from a sharp angle, off the side of the net.
     
    15:35
    Canada take a couple of slappers that go wide, then Kuhn plays the carom off the boards and covers with :36 left in the penalty.
     
    14:41
    Right back the other way Josh Foote had a shorthanded partial breakaway, but he's slashed by Patrick Lee, and'we'll play 3-on-3 for :15, then Canada will have a power play.
     
    14:25
    Patrick Lee's shot is deflected high.
     
    13:40
    Siemer led a rush but he takes a slash from Dave Hammond, who's on his way to the box. US back to the power play, 1/2.
     
    12:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    So it's 2-2 after 12 minutes, as both teams show their offensive flare. Both teams are going to want to stay out of the penalty box the rest of the way, as both are potent on the power play.
     
    12:00
    1st period finished.
     
    11:12
    Goal for Team Canada!
    They tie it up, as Terry sends the puck to the net and THOMAS WOODS heads to the net and re-directs it in.
    Assist: Chris Terry.
     
    10:37
    Finally Kuhn covers the puck with :16 left in the penalty.
     
    10:23
    Terry with a wrister from the point, Kuhn knocked it down with the glove.
     
    09:24
    Now an American penalty, Thomas Woods for slashing. Canada to the power play, 1/1 today.
     
    08:47
    Goal for Team USA!
    Just 10 seconds later they take the lead, as Novak finds PETER KAVAYA in front.
    Assist: Kyle Novak.
     
    08:37
    Goal for Team USA!
    They come right back up the ice, TRAVIS NOE and Matt White work the give-and-go, with Noe finishing it off the post and in on the power play.
    Assist: Matt White.
     
    08:25
    Noe fans on a shot, then the Canadians clear.
     
    08:00
    Shot attempt from Lee is deflected wide. Americans still shotless.
     
    07:11
    Thomas Woods is now being called for slashing, so the Americans are going back to the power play, 0/1 today.
     
    06:06
    Goal for Team Canada!
    A brilliant cross-ice pass from Woods finds KYLE SHEEN heading to the net, and he one-touches it inside the post to open the scoring on the power play.
    Assists: Thomas Woods, Dave Hammond.
     
    05:46
    Slapper from Woods deflects wide, then goes out of play, faceoff outside with :52 left in the penalty.
     
    05:08
    After a lengthy delay, the US is getting their first penalty of the game, John Siemer for tripping. Canada to the power play.
     
    03:08
    US 2-on-1, Thompson with speed up the middle, pass to Kettler and a brilliant save by Leggat, stretching out the pad and barely keeping the puck out.
     
    02:42
    Just as the penalty expires, the puck deflects to Brett Leggat, who covers. Canada has weathered the first storm of the game.
     
    01:50
    The Americans move the puck around the zone, Novak gets a shot from in close, but the Canadians eventually clear it.
     
    01:09
    The first penalty of the game is going to Kirk French of Canada, who tripped Tyler Spezia deep in the Canadian zone. USA to the early power play.
     
    00:19
    Offside Canada.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are on the floor, the arena is dark, and the game will start soon.
     
    USA is designated as the home team for this game, wearing navy blue jerseys with red and white trim, navy blue pants and helmets. Canada is designated as the visiting team and is wearing white jerseys with red trim, black pants and helmets.
     
    Starting Lineups:

    USA: Kuhn (Lane) – White, Spezia, Rodriguez, Burnett – Noe, Cadiz, Lee, Kettler – Novak, Siemer, Kavaya, Thompson.

    Canada: Leggat (Nixon) – Terry, Woods, French, Luscombe – Baumgartner, Hammond, Henderson, Rauckman – Foote, Draper, Corbeil, Sheen – Carlson.

    Referees: Würtherle (CZE), Singer (GER).
     
    Both semifinals of the 2014 IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship are regional derbies and classic hockey match-ups.

    The first one is between North American neighbours USA and Canada.

    The defending champions from the USA finished 1st in Group A with 9 points, then had a harder time than expected with Germany in the quarterfinals, eventually winning 4-1. Canada, the champions from 2012, were 3rd in Group B with 3 points, then beat the host Czech Republic 6-5 in a shootout, in a game that was full of both controversy and drama.

    The Americans have the top two scorers in the tournament with 12 points each: Matt White (8+4) and Travis Noe (5+7). Canada's top scorer is Chris Terry with 8 points (5+3), while Thomas Woods and Dave Hammond both have 7 points.
     
    Welcome. This semifinal game starts at 17:00 CEST, 11:00 EDT, 08:00 PDT.
    Commentary by

    Derek OBrien

    CZ@@Djob76

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 9. White (Noe), 9. Kavaya (Novak), 20. Spezia (Kavaya, Cadiz), 30. Lee (Noe, Kettler), 38. Noe (Lee) – 7. Sheen (Woods, Hammond), 12. Woods (Terry), 24. Foote (French), 29. Terry (Hammond), 35. Luscombe (French)

    USA: Kuhn (Lane) – White, Spezia, Rodriguez, Burnett – Noe, Cadiz, Lee, Kettler – Novak, Siemer, Kavaya, Thompson.
    Canada2: Leggat (Nixon) – Terry, Woods, French, Luscombe – Baumgartner, Hammond, Henderson, Rauckman – Foote, Draper, Corbeil, Sheen – Carlson.
    Referees: Würtherle (CZE), Singer (GER)