Canada earns berth in semi-finals with win over Finland

Call it the Kitchener connection.

Rangers’ teammates Derek Roy and Gregory Campbell combined with Joffrey Lupul of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers to score three goals that powered Canada to a 5-3 win over Finland at the Halifax Metro Centre on New Year’s Eve.

The win gave Canada (4-0-0) first place in the “B” pool and a berth in the tournament semi-finals on Thursday.

Lupul scored his first two goals of the tournament before receiving a five-minute major and game misconduct for cross-checking in the third period.

Campbell stripped Finland of the puck at Canada’s blueline, fought off a Finnish defender and shoveled the puck under the right pad of goaltender Kari Lehtonen for a short-handed marker that gave Canada a 5-3 lead.

In a situation like that (penalty-killing) I have a role to play,” Campbell said. “It was a huge turning point for us. I took away the angle and the puck went off my stick. I went in with it and scored.”

Canada played a strong game and raised the level of their game when the Finns started to mount a comeback.

“I’m really proud of our guys,” said Canadian coach Marc Habscheid. “They stayed focused and kept their composure. They did a tremendous job.”

Pierre-Marc Bouchard (Minnesota – NHL/Chicoutimi-QMJHL) opened the scoring on a first period powerplay when he ripped a shot over Lehtonen’s catching glove on the short side. Brendan Bell (Ottawa 67’s) and Steve Eminger (Washington – NHL/Kitchener- OHL) picked up assists on the goal.

Tomi Maki scored for Finland to tie the game less than a minute later.

Roy, Campbell and Lupul set the tone in the second period with strong physical play, especially in the Finnish zone.

Brooks Laich (Seattle – WHL) scored a powerplay goal 1:06 into the period to give Canada back the lead. Carlo Colaiacovo (Erie Otters) and Bouchard picked up assists on the goal.

Lupul scored his first of the tournament two minutes later after Roy made a big hit behind the Finnish net on the forecheck. Campbell picked up the puck and fed Lupul, who buried the puck from the slot.

Lupul added his second of the game while Maki was serving a five-minute major for a check from behind on Roy. Colaiacovo and Kyle Wellwood (Windsor Spitfires) assisted on the goal. The assist was Colaiacovo’s tournament-leading ninth point.

Finland scored twice in a little more than one minute to pull to within one goal and bring Marc-Andre Fleury, who was suffering from the flu, off the bench to replace starter David Le Neveu, who gave up three goals on 11 shots.

The win allows Canada to take New Year’s Day off before preparing for the semi-finals on Thurdsay.

“We haven’t won anything yet,” said Habscheid. “We have to stay focused.”

Around the WJC

In other World Junior play on Tuesday, Peter Taticek (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) set-up the opening goal and iced the game with an empty-netter to give the Czech Republic a 3-1 win over Sweden in Halifax.

Defenceman Lukas Krajicek (Peterborough Petes) scored the game-winner, which gave the Czechs a spot in the playoff round while Sweden will play in the relegation round.

“We expected they would come out hard and after their first goal we really came together, and were eventually able to come back,” said Krajicek.

“It was a very difficult game mentally for us, as I’m sure it was for Sweden, too,” said Taticek. “A medal is obviously every team’s goal. We had a plan and we stuck to that plan. In the end, I guess it worked.”

At Sydney, Alexander Ovechkin scored his second hat trick of the tournament to pace Russia to a 7-5 win over Switzerland. The win gives Russia (4-0-0) first place in the “A” pool and a berth in Friday’s semi-final.

Switzerland (1-3-0) will play in the relegation round.

Dustin Brown of the Guelph Storm scored a third-period powerplay goal to help the U.S.A. to a 3-1 win over Slovakia.

The win gives the U.S.A. (3-1-0) second place in the “A” pool. They will play the Czech Republic (2-1-1) in the qualifying round on Thursday with the winner facing Canada on Friday. Slovakia (2-2-0) and Finland (2-1-1) will play in the other qualifying round game on Thursday for the opporutnity to play Russia in the semi-finals.

– Aaron Bell

Photo: Dave Sandford CHA/HHOF