BEIJING, Feb. 17 (BNA): Canada and the United States, once the favorites to compete for the men’s ice hockey gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics, will be seen on television or from the stands after quarter-final disasters sent them off the field. Competition.
The excitement at the National Indoor Stadium on Wednesday started spectacularly and ended in the late evening with a surprise, Reuters reported.
Slovakia began the day by overcoming the trauma of the Olympic championship when it beat the US team 3-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the last four for only the second time.
The day ended with Canada, winner of gold in two of the last three Olympics, as they knocked out Sweden 2-0 in the rematch in the 2014 Sochi final.
In between, the gold-medal defending Russian Olympic Committee slipped its Olympic debuts Denmark 3-1 and Finland over Switzerland 5-1.
The Republic of China will now face Sweden, while the other semi-final match on Friday will see Finland attempt to end Slovakia’s story streak.
North America’s double exit wasn’t as shocking as it would have been had the National Hockey League not decided to pull out of Beijing games after a COVID-19 surge forced the postponement of more than 100 NHL games.
Before the pandemic robbed Beijing of the world’s best players, Canada and the United States were expected to arrive in China with glittering rosters packed from top to bottom with NHL All-Stars ready to go for the gold medal.
But with rosters quickly compiling from college, European and minor leagues, and for the first time since the 2006 Turin Olympics, there will be no North American teams in the last four and medal chasing.
Canada’s hopes were dashed when Lucas Woolmark opened a goalless game midway through the third half, battling a defender and tearing his wrist past Matt Tomkins.
With Canada drawing Tomkins in favor of an extra striker, Anton Lander scored into the empty net to seal the victory.
“It was a game we didn’t give up that much,” Lander said. “Small plays make a difference and today we were on the lucky side.
“We believed and kept working harder, harder and harder, and sooner or later, the puck would jump with you.”
I can’t wait to play
After losing their first two matches, Slovakia made a move several times to oust silver medalist Germany at the 2018 PyeongChang Games in the qualifying round and then move up the United States.
Slovakia’s 17-year-old Juraj Slavkovsky, who made an exciting Olympics, topped the scoring chart with five goals, including the opening match against the Americans.
But it was Peter Celarik, the only skater to score in the penalty shootout, who would win after extra time and the match tied 2-2.
After Chilaric scored, the United States had one last chance to extend the penalty shootout, but captain Andy Miele couldn’t beat goalkeeper Patrick Ribar and the Slovak bench erupted into a raucous celebration.
The United States, unbeaten in team play, looked destined for the league semi-finals, entering the 2-1 at the last minute. But Slovakia pulled Ribar for an extra striker and Marek Hrivik rewarded him with a draw just 44 seconds into overtime.
As the former half of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia has made several entries on the Olympic podium. As an independent nation, she reached the semi-finals at the 2010 Vancouver Games but failed to collect the medal, losing to Finland in the bronze match.
“It happened 12 years ago and now I can’t wait to play in the semi-finals,” Slavkowski said. “I was watching this but I was six years old and I had to go to school or nursery.”
Finland scored in the first half, two minutes ahead of Miro Altonen and Mikko Lehtunen, and did not allow the late Swiss back into the match, with Marko Antilla, Eero Pakarinen and Timo Härtikainen also netting.
The Republic of China did not begin to carry out its entire offensive, but it defeated the brave Denmark with a goal in each period.
Nikita Nesterov, Vadim Shebachyov and Vyacheslav Voinov scored for the Republic of China, while Frans Nielsen prevented Denmark from being eliminated.