SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Jamie Benn scored in the second
period, Carey Price made 31 saves, and Canada beat the United States 1-0
Friday night in the semifinals of the Olympic men’s hockey tournament.
Canada
advanced to the gold-medal match Sunday against Sweden, which beat
Finland 2-1 in the earlier semifinal at Bolshoy Ice Dome. The Canadians
are on the brink of their third gold medal in four Olympics, and they’re
guaranteed their first medals outside North America in 20 years.
After its first loss in Sochi, the U.S. will face Finland for bronze on Saturday.
The
defending Olympic champions left no doubt about their North American
hockey supremacy in a semifinal rematch of the final game of the
Vancouver Games, won on Sidney Crosby’s golden goal.
The Canadians
haven’t even trailed in the Sochi Olympics, and they didn’t need
overtime to maintain border supremacy on the U.S. Their stifling defense
has allowed just three goals in five games, and they clamped down on
the high-scoring American offense for every minute of a slightly
anti-climactic evening.
Canada beat the Americans for the fourth
time in five Olympic meetings since the NHL players joined the party in
1998. Both teams rolled unbeaten through the Sochi tournament to this
showdown, but the expected offensive theatrics in this meeting never
occurred, buried along with the friendships and NHL bonds that must be
discarded when these teams meet.
Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester
created the only goal with a clever pass to Benn, the Dallas Stars
captain in the midst of an outstanding tournament. That was all the
offense needed by Price, the Montreal goalie who easily handled the
Americans’ few good chances, including their clunky power plays.
Jonathan
Quick stopped 36 shots for the Americans, who had trailed for just 7:19
in Sochi before Benn’s goal put them in a hole they never escaped.
The
Americans entered the rematch hoping for redemption from their
gut-wrenching defeat four years ago. The U.S. rallied from a late
two-goal deficit on Zach Parise’s tying goal with 24 seconds left in
regulation, only to lose on Crosby’s score.
Instead, the Americans got another reminder of Canada’s clout.
Crosby
still has no goals through five games in Sochi, but the Canadian
captain had his best overall game of the tournament, even if linemate
Chris Kunitz failed to convert a handful of stellar chances created by
his center.
For all the talent and high stakes on the ice, the
Bolshoy wasn’t exactly rocking for the game, with the predominantly
Russian crowd apparently struggling to decide whom to root against.
The
teams didn’t need a crackling atmosphere to play a world-class brand of
hockey. The scoreless first period was fast and exciting, with Quick
stopping 16 Canadian shots. Crosby shook off his early-tournament
struggles and played at a breakneck pace, while the American forwards
generated numerous chances on pure speed.
Canada went ahead early
in the second period during a shift by Benn and Anaheim Ducks teammates
Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. Bouwmeester threaded a pass into the slot,
and Benn deflected it past Quick, whose aggression sometimes makes him
vulnerable to such shots.
Canada didn’t slow down: Benn nearly got
another goal, but a facedown Quick gloved his shot. Paul Stastny then
had a prime chance after a poor U.S. power play expired late in the
period, but pushed a rebound just wide under Price.
Canada played
without forward John Tavares, who injured his leg against Latvia. The
U.S. was without defenseman Paul Martin, who had a cast on his hand at
the morning skate.
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