Avs to be represented nicely in the title game

From theavalanche intrasquad perspective, Sunday’s Iihfworld championships gold-medal game will match Canada’s Nathan Mackinnon, Matt Duchene and Calvin Pickard vs. Sweden’s Gabe Landeskog andcarl Soderberg.

That came into focus after Canada beatrussia 4-2 and Sweden got by Finland 4-1 in the Saturday semifinals in Cologne, Germany.

In the first semifinal, Mackinnon and his former Colorado teammate, Ryan O’reilly, had goals 111 seconds apart late in the third period ascanada came back from a 2-0 deficit to advance and earn a chance to win the IIHF tournament for the third time in a row.

Mackinnon tied it 2-2 at 15:07 of the third period, scoring after stripping the puck from Russian defenseman Vladimir Tkachyov in the slot, and O’reilly put the Canadians ahead 3-2 at 16:58 before Sean Couturier added an empty-netter at 18:53 to clinch it.

Russia led 2-0 after two periods on the strength of goals from Nikita Gusev and Yevgeni Kuznetsov before Mark Scheifele — with Mackinnon getting the setup assist— scored only 17 seconds into the third to getcanada within hailing distance.

Avalanche goalie Pickard had 26 saves in the Canada net.

“Itwas exciting,” he told reporters in Cologne. “Our backs were against the wall going into the third period, and we just regrouped and came out and played our game. Everybody in the building saw it. It was a pretty good clinic, for sure.”

Mackinnon has six goals and eight assists in nine games in the tournament, and the 14 points leave him tied for second in scoring, along with Russia’snikita Kucherov. Russia’s Artemi Panarin leads with 16 points, on four goals and 12 assists.

In the second semifinal, the Swedes got goals from Joonas Kemppainen, Johnklingberg, Williamnylander and Joakimnordstromto easily handle the Finns, with Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen. Rangers goaliehenrik Lundqvist— a late arrival afternewyork’s second-round playoff elimination — had 22 saves for the Swedes.

Finland and Russia will meet for the bronzemedal Sunday before the goldmedal game.