Alexander Semin and his Russian team-mates
were flying through the holey Swiss defence.
Photo: IIHF/HHoF/Matthew Manor
QUEBEC CITY – Talk about scoring efficiency. Russia scored on three of its first four shots on goal in a 6-0 quarter-final rout of Switzerland, and two were Swiss own goals with a strong whiff of fromage.
The Russians now meet Finland in Friday’s first semi-final at the Colisée. It’s a rematch of last year’s semis, where the Finns ousted Russia with a 2-1 OT win, the first time the hosts had ever lost a World Championship game in Moscow.
***
With goals by Semin, Fedorov and Ovechkin (real goals). They play on the same line. They lead their team in scoring with 9 points in 7 games (Ovechkin is 6-3, Fedorov and Semin are 4-5). Heatley is the tournament leader with 10-6-16 in 7 games.
Alexander Ovechkin, disappointed after the semi-final
loss to Finland in 2007, wants his revenge on Finland.
Photo: IIHF/HHoF/Jukka Rautio
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on May 15, 2008 8:39 PM This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on May 15, 2008 8:37 PM
Second consecutive too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty against Finland, and Russia scores on the PP. 3-0, with 7:45 left. I guess the Caps will have 4 guys in the finals (3 Russians plus either Backstrom or Green).
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on May 16, 2008 3:17 PM
And Canada beat Sweden. Backstrom was scoreless, but Green had a game-winning goal and two assists, all on the PP (the goal was scored with a 2MA). He now leads all d-men with 11 points (4-7), but Kaberle, Visnovsky and Martin are out. He's 4 points ahead of the next d-man still able to score. He's even 5th overall in scoring, hehehe, with one more point than Ovechkin, Fedorov and Semin. Caps have 4 of the 9 best scorers of the tournament. Heatley (11-7-18) seems out of reach, though.
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on May 16, 2008 8:26 PM
Backstrom skates for 20:51 (3rd in his team, behind two d-men), but Sweden loses 4-0 to Finland (Selanne, the Koivus, the Jokinens and "the other" Backstrom in net). No medal for this Cap. But we'll have at least one world champion tomorrow.
Russians score 1:23 into the game, by Semin, from Ovechkin and Fedorov, but Canada ties the game 2:31 later (Green gets a secondary assist). Then Canada takes the lead, and score again on a 5-on-3 PP to lead 3-1 at the first intermission. I guess our Cappies are not too worried.
Semin scores early again, 1:14 into the period, but this time on the PP, from Korneyev and Markov. Heatley replies around mid-game, and Canada keeps a two-goal lead after two.
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on May 18, 2008 3:23 PM
1:55 into overtime, Nash goes to the box for delaying the game. 47 seconds later, Kovalchuk scores on the PP, from Fedorov and Ovechkin. Russia wins! They had last won gold in 1993.
I hope Fedorov doesn't retire, and signs with the Caps for one more season.
If this game isn't evidence enough to everyone in Canada of the calibre of play possible in the World Championship, nothing is or ever will be. Played at breathtaking speed with heart-pounding drama, this would surely rank in the top 10 of the IIHF's top 100 if the list were released next week instead of yesterday.
Dany Heatley had a goal and an assist to bring his tournament-leading total to 20 points. He was named tournament MVP after the game.
The Russians struck quickly to open the scoring when Dan Hamhuis tried to pass Jay Bouwmeester, his defensive partner, behind the goal only to have the puck hit a referee's skate directly behind the net. Alexander Ovechkin was right there and he made a quick pass to Alexander Semin in front. His quick shot beat an unsuspecting Cam Ward at 1:23.
Canada struck right back, though. Brent Burns's quick shot from the point, just as Vitali Proshkin was about to check him from behind after coming out of the penalty box, beat a screened Evgeni Nakokov over the stick side to tie the game, 1-1.
Canada had the next great chance as Martin St. Louis beat Nabokov, but the puck hit the post and stayed out. The Canadians put one over the goal line at 9:17 after a turnover in centre ice. Chris Kunitz walked in on Nabokov and drilled a great shot over his glove to make it a 2-1 game.
The Canadians opened a two-goal lead at 14:51 on a 5-on-3. Sergei Fedorov was serving a delay-of-game penalty and Proshkin was serving four minutes for cutting Rick Nash with a high stick. Heatley fanned on a slapshot, but the puck still got to Martin St. Louis by the side of the net. He made a nifty little pass to Burns at the top of the crease. He one-timed it through Nabokov's pads for his second goal of the game.
It was only in the final minute that Canada incurred its first penalty after five in a row to the Russians. It was this power-play time that created the lop-sided shots on goal margin of 15-5 for Canada after 20 minutes.
That late penalty proved costly as the Russians moved to within a goal at 1:14 of the second. Konstantin Korneyev's point shot whistled well wide of the goal but it banked off the boards behind Ward and out the other side. Semin was right there to one-time a shot before the goalie could move over to cover the open side.
Moments later Semin fed a gorgeous breakaway pass to Ovechkin, but Bouwmeester bothered him enough as he shot to prevent a good chance. That proved vital as midway through the period Canada upped the score to 4-2 on a harmless-looking play. Getzlaf was cycling the puck in the corner when he spotted Heatley nearby. His shot to the short side beat Nabokov, a weak goal for the goalie to give up in such an important game. Ward then stoned Sergei Zinoviev from the slot with a great left pad save. Toward the end of the period, Andrei Markov missed an open net.
Canada started the third trying top protect the lead, something too dangerous to do when that lead is only two goals and the opponent Russia. Sure enough, the Russians fought back with a goal at 8:55 on a broken play. Alexei Tereshchenko jumped on a loose puck in the slot at rifled it between Ward's legs to make it a 4-3 game.
With 6:45 to go, Ward made a phenomenal right pad save off Ovechkin, who cut through the slot and one-timed a shot labeled for the far side. A minute and a half later, however, Ilya Kovalchuk tied the game with a wrist shot using Bouwmeester as a screen. New game, and now Canada had to start doing what it had stooped for all of the third period--try scoring.
And then came Kovalchuk's heroics. He scored on a power play with Rick Nash in the box for delay of game after he shot the puck out of play at the Russian bench. The four officials huddled to discuss the play before calling the penalty. Ironically, the Russians received two delay of game penalties during regulation time. Kovalchuk moved in from the point and rifled a shot over Ward's shoulder before jumping for joy.
Russia, after 15 years, had won gold.
NOTES: Heatley's 12 goals is a record for modern day Canada, eclipsing 11 set by Eric Lindros in 1993. His 20 points also ties another Canadian record set by Steve Yzerman in 1990...Despite the loss, Canada moves into the top spot of the world ranking...attendance was 13,338...
ANDREW PODNIEKS
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on May 18, 2008 5:47 PM This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on May 18, 2008 4:36 PM
