Team Canada Wins Against Team Finland In Overtime
Photo Credit: ©Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
2/13/2014
With Carey Price in net, Team Canada took on Tuukka Rask and Team Finland today in an epic battle that went into overtime.
P.K. Subban, Martin St. Louis, and Roberto Luongo sat this one out as their teammates went on to win in a dramatic overtime period that could have gone either way.
The Canadian team started off strong as Sidney Crosby walked past Finland’s defense and hen passed to Shea Weber, who took a hard slapshot on net but was denied by Rask. Weber had a lot of scoring chances throughout the first period and Team Canada was persistent in pressuring Team Finland’s netminder.
In a strange twist, a shot on Rask ended up on top of the Finland net. From what I saw, Rick Nash took a swipe at it to whack it off the net so his teammates had a chance to score, but that’s not the way it played out. Instead of the puck making its way to the front of the net, it trickled down Rask’s back and into the net. It was called a goal on the ice. After further review, they called it off because of Nash’s high stick. It was still a scoreless game at that point.
Late in the first period, Drew Doughty scored the first powerplay goal for Team Canada in the 2014 Olympics. Kunitz and Toews both had great chances at the Finn’s net but neither chances amounted to a goal. Nash took a high-sticking penalty to end the first period with Team Canada up 1-0 over Team Finland.
The second period started with a perfect skate-save by Rask on a shot by Patrick Marleau. Nash tried to redeem himself when he carried the puck out from behind the Finland net then turned unexpectedly to take a snipe shot on goal. Even though it didn’t land in the goal, it was the kind of shot that Nash is known for. A while later, a deflection in front of the Canadian goal put Team Finland on the board and tied the game.
The third period solved nothing and the teams were headed into overtime. Patrice Bergeron almost ended it early, but Rask was ready for him and the OT period continued. Price was tested when Finland put more pressure on him, but Doughty came through for Team Canada during the 4 on 4 to win it for the Canadians with a final score of 2-1.
Carey Price stopped 14 of 15 shots on net while Tuukka Rask saved 25 of 27. Team Canada won the majority of faceoffs while both teams got called for only one penalty each. Weber, Rask, and Doughty got the three stars of the game.
Team Canada will be back on the ice next week when they take on the winner of Team Switzerland vs. Team Latvia.
Go Team Canada!