Canadian turnovers, penalties wreak havoc
Other key moments in defeat include goaltending issues, momentum changes
HELSINKI— Canada is going home early from the world junior hockey tournament.
The unexpected flight arrangements were being made after the team lost 6-5 to Finland in the quarter-finals on Saturday. It was Canada’s best game of the tourney, but Finland was better.
Here are five key moments:
TURNOVER
The Canadians have a 2-0 lead and are pressing for more in the last minute of the first period. But they get too tricky with the puck and turn it over. The Finns grab it at the blue line and spend the next 30 seconds in the Canadian zone. Finally, Finland’s Patrik Laine scores with just 11 seconds to go in the period.
“Crazy bounces, crazy shots, it was just a crazy game,” said Canadian goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. “I could’ve played better for sure . . . the score was 6-5. Any one of those goals doesn’t go in and it changes the game.”
GOALIE CHANGE
At 7:20 of the second, Lawson Crouse scores on a turnover as Canada takes a 3-2 lead. Finland pulls Veini Vehvilainen, replacing him with Kaapo Kahkonen and Canada tests him right away. He robs Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini and the Finns then get their game going.
“It’s easier if you get a few shots when you go in and get to touch the puck,” said Kahkonen. “But I don’t think it’s too hard to get pumped up for a game like that, playing in front of the home crowd against Team Canada.”
The Canadians stick with Blackwood.
“(Changing goalies) never even entered into the conversation,” said Lowry.
MARNER DAZZLES
Six minutes into the third period, it looks like Maple Leafs prospect Mitch Marner is going to be Canada’s hero. He scored at 3:14 and again at 5:57 to tie the game 5-5, the only Canadian to beat Kahkonen. Shortly after, he deked three Finns and just missed the top corner. It was Marner’s best game, and he finished tied with Dylan Strome with four goals and two assists to lead Canada’s tourney scoring.
“I thought this was our best game for sure,” said Marner. “I think we should have deserved a better outcome, but things happen.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
The score was 5-5 when Laine hammered Strome into the boards near the Canadian bench at 9:38 of the third period. Strome left the game briefly and Laine got a boarding call. Strome said he thought it should have been a hitting-from-behind call, which would have added a10-minute misconduct to the minor, which would have essentially ended Laine’s night. Instead, Finland killed the minor and Laine scored the winning goal on a Finnish power play at 14:10.
“That’s home-ice advantage,” said Strome. “That’s the way it goes. Next year in Toronto, the crowd’s going to be behind us. There’s going to be 20,000 people in the Bell Centre and the Air Canada Centre screaming for that call. Next year, we’re going to get that call.”
PENALTIES HURT
Halfway through the third, Canada’s Jake Virtanen has possibly the worst shift of his young career. Canada was on the power play when Virtanen trips a Finnish puck carrier and slashes another and both are called. Joe Hicketts’ icing attempt during the penalty kill clears the glass at the far end, an automatic delay of game penalty. Laine then scores the winner, his second goal of the night, at 14:10 of the third period.
“It wasn’t an intentional trip. He pretty much tripped on (my stick) himself. The refs in the IIHF are going to call that,” said Virtanen. “The second one was just emotion. I was pretty mad he was calling that. Personally I think the refs were a little bit on their side. (I feel) pretty devastated. We wanted to come here and win gold.”