U-18 Team Canada moves to finals
Guillaume Latendresse scored 5:29 into overtime Friday to give Canada a 3-2 win over the Czech Republic and a berth in the final of the world under-18 hockey championship.
The Canadians will meet the unbeaten Americans for the gold medal Sunday (TSN, 11 a.m. EDT).
Latendresse was credited with the goal but the shot came from the point from Kristopher Letang and may have hit the Czech defender who was tangled with Latendresse in front.
''It's a lucky goal,'' Latendresse told TSN. ''The coach said put the puck on the net and that's what the defenceman did. I just tipped it. I was a bit lucky on that but we'll take every goal and that's a win for Canada.''
The game ended at 2-2 after three periods. The early chances in the 10-minute overtime went to the Czechs but they could not beat Carey Price.
There was plenty of end-to-end action throughout the contest, but it was clear the Czechs did not like contact. They went down so often it looked like some needed training wheels.
''I think the ref did a good job on that, he called diving like three times on the other team,'' said Latendresse.
The game turned in a 62-second span late in the second period, with Canada leading 1-0.
The Czechs kept possession in the Canadian zone, with the Canadians chasing. David Kuchejda backhanded a pass in front of the net to Martin Hanzal, all alone at the edge of the crease, and he fired it in at 17:17.
A minute later, David Kveton hauled in a long pass from within the Czech blue-line. He swooped in on the Canadian goal and his weak shot, which may have been in part due to the stick of chasing defenceman Paul Kurceba, went through the legs of Price at 18:19 to make it 2-1 Czechs.
The two goals ignited the home fans, who clapped and banged drums in deafening fashion. Coach Shawn Camp called a time out, to settle his Canadian squad.
But Canada pulled even at 1:49 of the third on the power play when Thomas Pyatt stuffed in a rebound after some pretty Canadian passing.
Czech goalie Ondrej Pavelec preserved the tie soon after when he made a sparking save on Bertram.
Canada found itself on the back foot in the first minute when Richard Klune was called for an elbow to the head of a Czech player in a collision at the boards just 37 seconds after the puck was dropped. But the Canadians survived and soon had a power play of their own when Petr Kalus was sent off for interference.
Stationed in front of the crease, Dan Bertram made the Czechs pay at 4:06 by deflecting in a low shot/pass from Marcandre Gragnani at the point.
It looked like Canada had doubled its advantage late in the first period but a Bertram goal was called off, with officials saying play had been called dead blown after Kuchejda went down following a hit by Clune.
German referee Frank Awizus was quick to whistle, calling 11 minors in the first period alone - seven against Canada and four to the Czechs. The penalty count dropped in the second period - although the Czechs were quick to go down on contact - but the penalty box doors opened and shut with regularity in the third.
Earlier the U.S. advanced to the final, defeating Sweden 6-2 to improve its record at the tournament to 5-0.
The Americans, unbeaten in international play this year, lost 3-2 to Russia in last year's final.
Phil Kessel and Nathan Gerbe each had a goal and two assists and Peter Mueller had two goals for the U.S. The other goals came from Kyle Lawson and Chad Rau.
Nicklas Backstrom and Johan Dalhberg replied for the Swedes, who changed goalies late in the second period after Mattias Modig gave up five goals on 24 shots.
Like Canada, the U.S. finished first in its group and had a bye to the semifinal. Sweden downed Slovakia 5-3 in one quarter-final Thursday while the Czechs defeated Russia 5-1.
The Canadians will meet the unbeaten Americans for the gold medal Sunday (TSN, 11 a.m. EDT).
Latendresse was credited with the goal but the shot came from the point from Kristopher Letang and may have hit the Czech defender who was tangled with Latendresse in front.
''It's a lucky goal,'' Latendresse told TSN. ''The coach said put the puck on the net and that's what the defenceman did. I just tipped it. I was a bit lucky on that but we'll take every goal and that's a win for Canada.''
The game ended at 2-2 after three periods. The early chances in the 10-minute overtime went to the Czechs but they could not beat Carey Price.
There was plenty of end-to-end action throughout the contest, but it was clear the Czechs did not like contact. They went down so often it looked like some needed training wheels.
''I think the ref did a good job on that, he called diving like three times on the other team,'' said Latendresse.
The game turned in a 62-second span late in the second period, with Canada leading 1-0.
The Czechs kept possession in the Canadian zone, with the Canadians chasing. David Kuchejda backhanded a pass in front of the net to Martin Hanzal, all alone at the edge of the crease, and he fired it in at 17:17.
A minute later, David Kveton hauled in a long pass from within the Czech blue-line. He swooped in on the Canadian goal and his weak shot, which may have been in part due to the stick of chasing defenceman Paul Kurceba, went through the legs of Price at 18:19 to make it 2-1 Czechs.
The two goals ignited the home fans, who clapped and banged drums in deafening fashion. Coach Shawn Camp called a time out, to settle his Canadian squad.
But Canada pulled even at 1:49 of the third on the power play when Thomas Pyatt stuffed in a rebound after some pretty Canadian passing.
Czech goalie Ondrej Pavelec preserved the tie soon after when he made a sparking save on Bertram.
Canada found itself on the back foot in the first minute when Richard Klune was called for an elbow to the head of a Czech player in a collision at the boards just 37 seconds after the puck was dropped. But the Canadians survived and soon had a power play of their own when Petr Kalus was sent off for interference.
Stationed in front of the crease, Dan Bertram made the Czechs pay at 4:06 by deflecting in a low shot/pass from Marcandre Gragnani at the point.
It looked like Canada had doubled its advantage late in the first period but a Bertram goal was called off, with officials saying play had been called dead blown after Kuchejda went down following a hit by Clune.
German referee Frank Awizus was quick to whistle, calling 11 minors in the first period alone - seven against Canada and four to the Czechs. The penalty count dropped in the second period - although the Czechs were quick to go down on contact - but the penalty box doors opened and shut with regularity in the third.
Earlier the U.S. advanced to the final, defeating Sweden 6-2 to improve its record at the tournament to 5-0.
The Americans, unbeaten in international play this year, lost 3-2 to Russia in last year's final.
Phil Kessel and Nathan Gerbe each had a goal and two assists and Peter Mueller had two goals for the U.S. The other goals came from Kyle Lawson and Chad Rau.
Nicklas Backstrom and Johan Dalhberg replied for the Swedes, who changed goalies late in the second period after Mattias Modig gave up five goals on 24 shots.
Like Canada, the U.S. finished first in its group and had a bye to the semifinal. Sweden downed Slovakia 5-3 in one quarter-final Thursday while the Czechs defeated Russia 5-1.
two diving penalties. It's not soccer, buddy.
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