MILAN (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored the decisive goal with just 35.2 seconds remaining in the third period, after Shea Theodore tied the game, helping Canada withstand a tough challenge and defeat Finland 3-2 in the men’s Olympic hockey semifinals on Friday. This victory advances Canada to the gold-medal game, where they aim to claim a third straight Olympic title with NHL players participating.
How Canada Mounted a Comeback Against Finland
Finland struck first with Mikko Rantanen’s opening goal, followed by Erik Haula’s shorthanded strike to build a 2-0 lead. Canada responded strongly, with Shea Theodore igniting hope by scoring through traffic at 9:26 remaining in regulation. That goal energized both the Canadian bench and the predominantly red-and-white crowd. The team’s attack intensified, especially during the second period, when they outshot Finland 14-3 and got on the board via Sam Reinhart’s redirection of a Cale Makar shot.
Masterful Plays From Canada’s Key Players
Connor McDavid, filling in as captain in place of the injured Sidney Crosby, provided a perfect saucer pass to MacKinnon, who netted the game-winning goal during a power play. This critical play stood up to a Finnish video challenge claiming offside, confirming the goal’s legality. In a tense sequence just before the score, Finland’s goalie Juuse Saros made an impressive blocker save to deny MacKinnon, who was subsequently high-sticked by Niko Mikkola, granting Canada a power-play opportunity.
Meanwhile, Macklin Celebrini disrupted Finland’s defense by setting a screen in front of the net, allowing MacKinnon to tuck the puck short side. Saros made multiple noteworthy saves throughout the match, but the Canadian offense kept pushing against Finland’s typically slow and intercepting defensive style.
Significance of the Victory and Upcoming Challenges
This hard-fought triumph keeps alive the chance for an all-North American gold-medal match, reminiscent of last year’s showdown between Canada and the U.S. in the Four Nations Face-Off tournament. The Americans remain undefeated and are scheduled to play Slovakia later on Friday in the second semifinal, setting the stage for a potential Canada-U.S. final.
The win underscores Canada’s resilience and depth, showcasing standout performances from stars like MacKinnon, McDavid, Theodore, and rising talents such as Celebrini. With the NHL players back in Olympic action, Canada’s pursuit of a third consecutive men’s hockey gold remains firmly on track.
“It held up on video review after Finland challenged that the play was offside.” ?Associated Press
“Connor McDavid, wearing the C in the absence of injured captain Sidney Crosby, made a perfect saucer pass over Finland penalty killer Roope Hintz’s stick to MacKinnon for another memorable goal for Canada in Milan.” ?Associated Press
“Moments before MacKinnon scored, Saros made a nifty blocker save to deny the Colorado Avalanche star, who was high-sticked by Niko Mikkola to put Canada on the power play. Saros also made several more big stops before MacKinnon tucked the puck in short side with Macklin Celebrini setting a screen by jumping.” ?Associated Press
