Canada edges Germany in quarters
Russia up next in semis; Sweden, Finland to clash
COLOGNE, Germany (CP) — Canada had to overcome a vocal partisan crowd and a fired-up Germany squad to keep its chances of a third straight world hockey championship title alive.
Mark Scheifele and Jeff Skinner scored as Canada survived a scare with a tight 2-1 win over the co-host Germans in quarterfinal action on Thursday.
Canada will next face Russia in Cologne in the first of Saturday’s two semifinals, at 6:15 a.m. PT.
Both teams traded chances in a high-tempo first period as the Germans, who beat Latvia in a shootout Tuesday to qualify for the medal round for a second straight year, weren’t afraid to play a physical game against Canada.
Scheifele finally put Canada on the board on a power play with 2:49 to play in the opening frame when he roofed a Ryan O’Reilly pass from behind the net over sprawling German netminder Philipp Grubauer.
Canada outshot Germany 20-0 in the second period before Dennis Seidenberg directed a puck on Calvin Pickard in the dying seconds. Skinner scored his fourth goal of the tourney, and what proved to be the game-winner, when he converted a rebound off a shot from Mike Matheson with 1:59 to play in the second.
After their comeback win on Tuesday, the Germans came out with renewed vigour in the third, determined not to leave without a fight. They generated two power plays, then Yannic Seidenberg got the Germans on the board on a shorthanded breakaway with 6:39 left in regulation time, but the rally fell short.
Finland will take on Sweden in the second semifinal on Saturday at 10:15 a.m. PT after a 2-0 upset over the United States, which finished first in Group A in the preliminary round. The Swedes advanced with a 3-1 win over Switzerland.