Canada to meet Finland in world championship final
Reigning champions Canada edged the United States 4-3 to set up a clash with Finland, who beat Russia 3-1, in Sunday's ice hockey world championship final.
"It's gonna be a tough game," Edmonton Oilers forward Taylor Hall said of Sunday's title match after Finland beat Canada 4-0 in their final Group B match on Tuesday, to end the reigning champions' 16-match winning streak at the world championship.
"We didn't play the game we wanted to play against them here (in the group). After they scored they just sat back trying to be in control and threatening on the counter-attacks.
"We need to be accurate and effective on powerplays tomorrow. That may be the key factor in the final."
In Saturday's semi-final, Brendan Gallagher, Brad Marchand, Derick Brassard and Ryan Ellis scored one apiece, while goaltender Cam Talbot produced 30 saves to set up a hard-fought win for Canada.
The Olympic champions had dominated from the opening face-off to gain a 2-0 lead as Gallagher and Marchand were both on target in the first period.
The United States replied positively through 18-year-old Auston Matthews, David Warsofsky and Tyler Motte, before Brassard levelled 3-3 with 4:30 remaining before the second break.
Ellis netted Canada's winning goal 1:34 into the third beating USA netminder Keith Kinkaid with a powerful slap shot.
US team manager John Hynes substituted his goalie for the sixth field players with 43sec remaining but the Americans failed to find the equaliser.
In the early last-four match, former two-time winners Finland battled back from a goal down to beat Russia to record their ninth win in as many matches in the championship.
Sebastian Aho scored two goals, while Mikko Koskinen produced 28 saves to send Finland through to the title match for the first time since 2014, when they finished runners-up to Russia.
"I feel really great being in the final," Jokerit Helsinki defenceman Topi Jaakola said. "It was a huge game for us and we did everything right. After we were two goals up our goal was to stay active and it worked perfect."
Finland, who beat Russia in the semi-finals in the 2007 and 2011 worlds, came to Moscow full of confidence, with five of their players among the event's top 10 scorers.
But Russia put the Finns under pressure in the opening minutes and forward Sergei Shirokov put the home team ahead 2:52 into the game, with a rebound after Finland goaltender Koskinen parried his initial close-range shot.
The 18-year-old Aho pulled it level 5:34 into the second period with a close-range slapshot when Detroit Red Wings defenceman Alexei Marchenko was in the sin bin.
Florida Panthers winger Jussi Jokinen put Finland ahead 15:50 into the second, while Aho scored his second with 1:45 remaining before the second intermission to round off the scoring with another powerplay effort.
Russia and the United States will play for bronze in Sunday's early match.