Group Canada advances to semifinals at IIHF Planet Championship – Group Canada

AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

Might 25, 2023

Group Canada has sophisticated to the semifinals of the 2023 IIHF Planet Championship in Finland.

Jack Quinn, Sammy Blais, Michael Carcone and Tyler Toffoli scored when Samuel Montembeault had a sturdy functionality in net to push Canada to a four-1 win more than co-host Finland in quarterfinal action on Thursday. The victory advances Group Canada into Saturday’s semifinals exactly where they’ll play Latvia.

Canada is searching to win gold at the men’s worlds for the initially time considering the fact that 2021. Canada and Finland have gotten to know each and every other really nicely in gold medal matches at this tournament in current years, facing off in each and every of the previous 3 championship games — such as final year when the Finns edged the Canadians four-three in overtime.

Study: Group Canada searching to get back on major of the podium at IIHF Planet Championship

Canada’s Samuel Blais, second from left, celebrates with teammates right after scoring his side’s second aim throughout the quarterfinal match involving Canada and Finland at the ice hockey globe championship in Tampere, Finland, Thursday, Might 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

Canada’s penalty kill went to operate early in the initially period and effectively killed off a Tyler Myers interference contact, enabling only 1 Finnish shot. Just right after the penalty expired, Jake Neighbours had Canada’s initially great scoring likelihood, ripping a 1-time shot into the pad of netminder Emil Larmi.

Quinn opened the scoring 7:12 into the initially. Following obtaining about a Finnish defender, Quinn promptly fired a low shot that fooled Larmi, providing Canada a 1- benefit.

Montembeault was named for delay of game later in the period and was kept busy throughout the penalty kill as Finland pressed for the equalizer. The Canadian goaltender stopped all ten shots he faced in the opening frame.

Blais gave Canada a two- lead ten:45 into the second period. The Canadians entered the zone on a 3-on-1 with Neighbours setting up Blais for a higher shot that beat Larmi.

A handful of minutes later, Finland’s Kaapo Kakko had a breakaway but ran out of space just before he could get a great shot off. Quickly right after, the Finns entered the zone on a two-on-1 but Kakko couldn’t fire a shot due to a sliding Canadian defenseman. Late in the period it was Kakko once more who produced a good feed to Kasperi Kapanen on yet another two-on-1, forcing Montembeault to make a significant pad cease.

Just two:54 into the third period, Carcone scored to make it three- for Group Canada. Mackenzie Weegar produced a good pass from inside the circle, acquiring a wide open Carcone who ripped a shot previous Larmi to extend Canada’s lead.

With their goaltender pulled and three:08 remaining in regulation time, Teemu Hartikainen jammed a bouncing puck involving Montembeault and the post to get Finland inside two. Any threat of a Finnish comeback ended with two:18 remaining when Toffoli scored into the open net, producing it a four-1 final.

Group Canada sophisticated to the quarterfinals right after putting second in Group B in preliminary round play, winning 5 of their seven games. Canada fell three-two in a shootout to Norway and three-two in regulation to Switzerland. The Swiss completed atop Group B but had been upset in their quarterfinal matchup against Germany, falling three-1.

Saturday’s other semifinal will function the Germans taking on the United States. The gold and bronze medal games take location on Sunday. All remaining games will be played at Nokia Arena in Finland and will be broadcast by TSN.