The U.S. and Canada are shifting on to the semifinals at the Olympics. Every wanted additional hockey to get by way of the quarterfinals.
Quinn Hughes scored in extra time to place the U.S. previous Sweden 2-1 after giving up the tying objective to Mika Zibanejad with 91 seconds left within the third interval. Dylan Larkin deflected Jack Hughes’ shot in for the one U.S. objective in regulation.
Hassan Ammar / AP
Earlier Wednesday, Nick Suzuki tied it for Canada late in regulation towards Czechia, and Mitch Marner gained it 4-3 in extra time to keep away from what would have been a shocking early exit.
“It was simply all reduction,” Canada’s Macklin Celebrini stated after scoring three minutes in after which helping on Marner’s objective. “A weight lifted off our shoulders, for certain. Simply seeing that puck go in, understanding that we gained the sport. … It was an excellent feeling for all of us.”
Finland additionally escaped an upset bid by rallying to beat Switzerland 3-2 in OT. Sweden goes dwelling early from a match that didn’t go as deliberate for a group with a full roster of 25 NHL gamers, whereas upstart Slovakia is making one other inconceivable run on the Video games.
After Canada did its half, albeit with a curler coaster of drama and emotion, the U.S. stored alive the opportunity of the North American rivals assembly within the gold medal sport Sunday by driving goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s stable play previous Sweden.
The U.S. will face Slovakia in a single semifinal on Friday evening. Simply earlier than that, additionally unbeaten Canada performs Finland within the different.
After shedding captain Sidney Crosby to damage, Canada was staring down what would have been a shocking quarterfinal exit till Nick Suzuki tied it on a deflection objective with 3:27 left. Then Mitch Marner scored just a little greater than a minute into extra time to beat Czechia 4-3 and ship the match favourite into the semifinals.
“All people had full religion in whoever was going over the boards,” coach Jon Cooper stated. “It simply felt it was like a matter of time. It was going to occur.”
The nerves have been palpable when Canada fell behind with 7:42 remaining on Ondrej Palat’s objective on an odd-man rush off a move from Martin Necas. Replays confirmed Czechia had six skaters on the ice, which Nathan MacKinnon stated he and his teammates have been conscious of, even when on-ice officers did not discover.
Suzuki nearly did all of it on the tying objective, sending the puck out to the purpose to Devon Toews after which redirecting the defenseman’s shot that was going nicely vast previous Lukas Dostal and into the online.
“Toewser gave me an ideal alternative to tip it,” Suzuki stated. “Simply making an attempt to place one thing on internet there.”
Jordan Binnington denied David Pastrnak on a breakaway with 70 seconds left to ship the sport previous regulation. It was the largest of Binnington’s 21 saves in a superb efficiency from Canada’s starter.
Then Marner summoned some extra heroics taking part in for Canada, scoring his second OT objective in a global match in as many probabilities. Marner additionally scored similarly a 12 months in the past on the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“It is the ‘it’ issue, man: Mitch Marner’s received it,” Cooper stated. “He would not disappoint. Generally your hair falls out at occasions, however in the long run, he by no means disappoints.”
Very similar to Canada, Finland was trailing late in its sport towards Switzerland. The Finns additionally received a late objective to keep away from an upset defeat.
Miro Heiskanen tied it with 72 seconds left, Artturi Lehkonen scored in extra time, and Finland escaped with a 3-2 victory. Heiskanen’s shot banked in off Switzerland defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler’s stick and previous goaltender Leonardo Genoni.
“We’re a relentless group,” Heiskanen stated. “We by no means quit. We all know we had a troublesome begin. It was a gradual begin, however we stored taking part in, stored working and it paid off.”
Finland was really down two targets after Switzerland’s Damien Riat and Nino Niederreiter scored 1 minute, 12 seconds aside within the first interval. It took till there was 6:06 left earlier than Sebastian Aho received Finland on the board.
Dalibor Dvorsky turned in one other good efficiency with a objective and an help, fellow NHL ahead Pavol Regenda scored twice as a part of his three-point sport, and Slovakia dominated Germany 6-2 on to achieve the semifinals and assure taking part in for a medal in Milan.
“Wonderful,” stated alternate captain Erik Cernak, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. “Earlier than the match, if we might say we’ll make semifinals, most likely individuals would chortle at you. However we did it, and it is not carried out but.”
Slovakia received an damage scare within the second interval when 21-year-old rising Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slafkovsky, the reigning Olympic MVP, went head-first into the boards and was gradual to stand up. A coach utilized an ice pack to the again of Slafkovsky’s neck, and he held it on himself when he received as much as have a good time a objective scored whereas he was getting medical consideration.
“I am OK,” Slafkovsky stated. “I used to be just a little shaken up, however after a pair minutes I felt OK once more. I went on the market, and head wasn’t spinning. I used to be seeing regular.”
