Sochi 2014: Men's Results Semi Final Results

Finland v Sweden 1-2 - Sweden is short two of its three world-class players named Henrik, but one just might be enough to win them gold given the rest of the talent available. New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves and the Swedes parlayed strong defense and the lone special-teams goal of the game into a 2-1 victory Friday against archrival Finland in a 2014 Sochi Olympics semifinal to advance to the gold-medal game Sunday at Bolshoy Ice Dome. Sweden will play Canada on Sunday in the gold-medal game and has a chance to win it for the second time in three Olympics. Finland will play the United States on Saturday in the bronze-medal game.
"We've been told that we're kind of up there but not really with Canada, Russia and the U.S.," Sweden forward Daniel Alfredsson said. "We got into this tournament and we've played pretty good but not great and everyone has looked for us to be better. [Friday] we came through with a huge game when we needed to and that's a great feeling. We definitely deserved to win [Friday] and we're going to enjoy this for a few hours and then we have one big test left. We want to make sure we go home with the gold and make Sunday's game our best yet."
The tournament began with Sweden short Vancouver Canucks center Henrik Sedin and Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen. Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg, who filled the same role on the Swedish team, was lost to injury during the preliminary round. But this group, led by Lundqvist and Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson, has reached the final. The Swedes haven't dominated at times but they also rarely have been threatened. Sweden has trailed twice in four games for a total of six minutes, 45 seconds.
"I think [Friday] we played really, really well [defensively]," Karlsson said. "I think it won us the game [Friday]. We were really sound in the neutral zone and the defensive zone and took away their speed as much as we could. We really didn't give them any of the quality scoring chances that we've been giving up earlier in the tournament. [Lundqvist] has been playing unbelievable for us as well. In that part we feel pretty confident."
It was the 76th time Sweden and Finland have played in the IIHF World Championships or the Olympics; Sweden holds a 44-17-15 edge and has won the past three meetings in the Olympics, including victories in the preliminary round four years ago in Vancouver and in the gold-medal game eight years ago in Turin. Finland won the prior important meeting between the teams, a 6-1 victory at the 2011 IIHF World Championship. The Finns also have been the most consistent country in the Olympics since the NHL started sending players in 1998. They've won a medal three times in the four Olympics played with NHL players and could make it a fourth Saturday. However, that haul does not include a gold medal.
"Obviously it has been a great tournament and I'm very proud of our team," Finland captain Teemu Selanne said. "It is obviously disappointing to lose this game but [Saturday] still is a lot to win. A bronze medal would be an unbelievable thing, so that is our goal now even though it is very disappointing right now."
Finland had four of the first five power plays Friday but could not convert, including a 5-on-3 for 1:35 in the first period.
"Little things," Finland coach Erkka Westerlund said with a sigh. "For example [Friday] we had chances to win this game but we also had difficult periods."
Sweden got a second man-advantage late in the second period and cashed in for the lead. Karlsson ripped a shot from the top of the offensive zone that ticked off goaltender Kari Lehtonen's right arm and under the crossbar. It was Karlsson's fourth goal of the tournament. He has eight points, which tied him with Phil Kessel of the United States for the lead.
"I think he's really enjoying himself playing in the Olympics with great players," Alfredsson said. "It seems like he can blossom even more when he's surrounded by Sedin and [Nicklas] Backstrom and [Alexander] Steen. They make him look even better I think. It is amazing to me that he is 23 years old and playing as mature as he is. Everybody talks about him with making mistakes here and there, but it was an Olympic semifinal and I think he played outstanding. Smart, was in the right position most of the time, joined the rush when he needed. But I was really impressed with his game."
Patrik Berglund said, "He's the best D-man-slash-forward in the world. We're happy to have him. It's hard sometime when you're practicing and you count four forwards all the time. You wonder where your guy is. But so far so good."
Winnipeg Jets forward Olli Jokinen opened the scoring for Finland with his second goal of the tournament, at 6:17 of the second period. Anaheim Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen sent the puck out of his zone and into the left corner in Sweden's end but a linesman waved off icing. Jokinen won the race to the puck and snapped a shot that leaked through Lundqvist and across the goal line. The goal initially was waved off, but after a video review the goal stood and Finland had a 1-0 lead. The Finns controlled more of the play after the goal but Loui Eriksson tied the game less than five minutes later. Backstrom sent a pass from beyond the goal line to Jonathan Ericsson, who fed Eriksson at the far side of the net for his second goal of the tournament at 11:39. Lehtonen was a surprise starter for this game. The Dallas Stars goaltender had to step in because Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask was out with an illness. Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks was the backup. When Finland plays for bronze Saturday it will mark the end of an era. Selanne, the best player in the country's history, will skate in his final Olympic game in a Suomi jersey.
"I have a nice trophy case at home," Selanne said. "Three medals from Olympics. It would be nice to have four."
USA v Canada 0-1 OT - If Canada keeps playing with the same electric, stifling pace it put on display against the United States, it might only be one goal away from winning another gold medal. Good thing too, because the Canadians haven't exactly lit up the scoresheet in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Nor have they had to. Carey Price made 31 saves and Jamie Benn's goal early in the second period was all Canada needed to beat the U.S. 1-0 in the semifinals at Bolshoy Ice Dome on Friday in what was a rematch of the gold-medal game from four years ago. The Canadians once again prevailed by one goal; only this time they didn't need overtime to do it, and there wasn't a medal on the line. There will be Sunday, when Canada plays Sweden in the gold-medal game, a matchup that features the two countries that have won the past three gold medals (Canada in 2002 and 2010, Sweden in 2006). The U.S. will play Finland for the bronze medal on Saturday.
"You have to line up the moon and stars to win," Canada coach Mike Babcock said. "People don't believe that in Canada, but it's the facts. These teams are great. You have two great teams out there today, unbelievable talent, and the score is 1-0. The goalies are good. The game is tight. It's hard. You always feel fortunate when you get an opportunity to advance."
The Canadians earned their opportunity by playing the same style of hockey that got the Americans into the semifinals, only they played it better. Their forwards were fiercely fast and relentless. Their defensemen always appeared to be in the right position. Canada was able to control the pace of the game and limit the quality chances against Price. Canada scored one goal Friday and has 14 in five games, yet it will carry a plus-11 goal-differential into the gold-medal game. The Canadians have allowed three goals in the tournament.
"I think we've been good defensively the whole time," Babcock said. "It's hard to get real good players to be committed as our group is defensively, and yet we haven't scored. No one seems to care. It doesn't matter. You just want another opportunity."
On the other side, the Americans came into the game with 19 goals in four games, but they couldn't find any room in the middle of the ice Friday. They seemed to be on their heels for most of the game, trying to survive before Benn scored 1:41 into the second period. They could never catch up. Canada wouldn't let them.
"They came at us with 20 guys [Friday night]," U.S. coach Dan Bylsma said. "They came at us with speed and for 60 minutes. That was a fast game. That was as fast a game as I think I've ever been a part of. There's lots of speed out there, it was up and down the ice. We weren't able to counter that. We weren't able to match that as much as we'd like."
The U.S. had chances, such as Phil Kessel's shot off the rush 30 seconds into the game, one Price stopped with his pads. John Carlson joined a play late and fired hard shot through a screen 5:25 into the first period, but Price snatched it with his glove. Max Pacioretty had an opportunity at the left side of the net off a pretty cross-slot pass from Patrick Kane, but Canada defended it well. T.J. Oshie had a shot squeeze through Price only to dribble wide of the net. But those were the memorable chances, and there were four of them. Worse yet, the Americans drew a blank on the power play, going 0-for-3, including two opportunities in the second period after Benn scored.
"We didn't have any energy," said U.S. defenseman Ryan Suter, who played a game-high 26:11. "We didn't have a forecheck. We weren't very good."
U.S. goalie Jonathan Quick was, but his 36 saves were only good enough to keep the Americans in the game. Benn and Jay Bouwmeester made the one play that made the difference. It started in the right circle, where Benn used his backhand to thread a diagonal pass up to Bouwmeester, who was at the left point. Benn cut to the net as Bouwmeester wound up. David Backes came out to challenge the shot, only it wasn't a shot; it was a pass that went right to the tape of Benn's stick. The puck ricocheted off his blade and sailed past Quick on the glove side into the net.
"Jay made a great pass, shot pass, and I found a way to get my stick on it," Benn said.
With how the game played out, and how good the goaltending was, nobody was surprised it took a deflection goal for one of these teams to reach the gold-medal game.
"There were better chances than the goal for both teams; they didn't go in," Babcock said. "That one went in. I thought our team got momentum at that time, and then forechecked harder and were on top of them more from that point on."
The challenge Sunday against Sweden will be much different. The Americans played a hard, up-and-down, North American game on the big ice; the Swedes will try to use the big ice to spread out the Canadians, much like Finland was able to do against them in the preliminary round. Canada controlled most of that 2-1 win as well, and had to get an overtime goal from Drew Doughty to win it. One goal has been the difference in three of Canada's five wins here. If that proves to be the case again Sunday, it will be worth its weight in gold.
"We've had unbelievable opportunities and still haven't finished," Babcock said. "We're going to finish. We just hope we don't run out of time."