Team Canada is set to play for the gold medal in the Olympic men’s hockey tournament. On Friday in the semifinal, Canada defeated Finland 3-2.
This was the second dramatic game Team Canada played in the men’s hockey tournament. On Wednesday, they defeated Czechia 4-3 in overtime in the quarterfinals.
Canada’s opponent on Sunday in the finals is the United States. On Friday in the second quarterfinal, the United States blanked Slovakia 5-0. This will be the first time since the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, that Canada will have played the USA in the men’s gold medal game in hockey at the Olympic Winter Games.
In the semifinal contest, Canada was led in scoring by the Team Canada captain, Edmonton Oilers centre and captain, Connor McDavid of Richmond Hill, Ontario. McDavid had two assists and led Canada with two points. First he set up Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart of West Vancouver, British Columbia on a key tip-in goal on the power-play to pull Team Canada within one. Second, he set up Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon of Halifax, Nova Scotia with a goal for the ages as he beat Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros top shelf by the slimmest of space available between Saros and the post. MacKinnon’s goal from McDavid and San Jose Sharks centre Macklin Celebrini of Vancouver, British Columbia came with 36 seconds left in regulation to put Canada up 3-2. The other Canadian goal scorer was Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore of Aldergrove, British Columbia, who tied the game at two with nine minutes and 26 seconds left in the third period.
