MOSCOW – Ryan Ellis scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and it held up as the difference as Canada defeated the United States 4-3 in semifinal play Saturday at the world hockey championship.
Ellis fired a slapshot from the top of the right faceoff circle that beat American goaltender Keith Kinkaid at the 1:34 mark. Canadian netminder Cam Talbot held off the American pressure the rest of the way, making 30 saves in total to help send the defending champions to Sunday’s gold-medal game.
Canada will play unbeaten Finland for the title. The Finns beat host Russia 3-1 in the early semifinal.
Canada’s Brendan Gallagher opened the scoring at 8:59 of the first period and Brad Marchand made it a two-goal game at 18:02. But the momentum changed in the second period as Auston Matthews, David Warsofsky and Tyler Motte scored within a span of 7:11 for the Americans.
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With Brassard serving a delay-of-game penalty, Matthews beat Talbot high to the glove side for his team-leading sixth goal of the tournament. Less than three minutes later, Warsofsky pulled the U.S. even before Motte converted a one-timer at 8:25.
Derick Brassard tied the game on the power play at 15:30. He shot the puck into the gaping net as Kinkaid was forced out of position after a scramble in front of the net.
U.S. defenceman Connor Murphy was assessed a minor penalty and 10-minute misconduct late in the second period after checking Canadian forward Mark Stone into the boards in front of the American bench.
Stone, who had been tied for the team scoring lead entering the game, went to the locker-room favouring his left arm. He returned to the bench at the start of the third period.
Kinkaid made 23 saves for the U.S.
Finland shut out Canada 4-0 in their preliminary-round matchup last Tuesday. It was the only blemish on Canada’s record in the tournament.
The bronze-medal game between the U.S. and Russia will also be played Sunday.
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