World Cup of Hockey Recap Sept 22 – TEAM RUSSIA BLANKS FINNS, PUNCHES TICKET TO SEMIFINALS

A slick give-and-go between Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Ovechkin was all the offense Team Russia needed in a 3-0 win over Team Finland, sending the Russians to a Semifinal showdown with Team Canada Saturday night. Tarasenko’s goal 3:42 into the second period broke a scoreless tie and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 21 Finland shots as Team Russia, needing a win to avoid elimination, edged idle Team North America for second place in Group B.

Ovechkin led Team Russia in points during Round Robin play with 1-2—3 in three games, while Tarasenko topped the squad with two goals. The pair have scored a combined 90 goals in each of the past two NHL seasons (Ovechkin 50, Tarasenko 40 in 2015-16; Ovechkin 53, Tarasenko 37 in 2014-15).

Saturday will mark the 13th meeting between a Russian/Soviet team and Team Canada in Canada Cup/World Cup of Hockey history, with Canada owning a 7-3-2 edge. Their last clash in a Canada Cup/World Cup of Hockey elimination game was the epic Game 3 of the 1987 Canada Cup, won by Canada 6-5 with a late goal by Mario Lemieux on a setup from Wayne Gretzky.

CZECH REPUBLIC TOPS TEAM USA IN ROUND ROBIN FINALE

Goals by Andrej Sustr and Milan Michalek 39 seconds apart late in the second period spurred the Czech Republic to a 4-3 win over Team USA in the final game of the Round Robin schedule. The Czech Republic completed the World Cup of Hockey with a 1-1-1 record while Team USA dropped to 0-3-0.

Michalek’s goal, his second of the game, gave the Czech Republic a 4-2 lead and ultimately proved the game-winner. His older brother Zbynek opened the scoring in the first period, marking the first time in World Cup of Hockey history that brothers had lit the lamp in the same game.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
TEAM RUSSIA 3, Team Finland 0
TEAM CZECH REPUBLIC 4, Team USA 3

SNEAK PEEK AT WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY SEMIFINALS
All Times Eastern
Saturday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m. 
Team Canada (1st, Group A) vs. Team Russia (2nd, Group B)
Sunday, Sept. 25, 1 p.m.
Team Sweden (1st, Group B) vs. Team Europe (2nd, Group A)

The Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning will be the most-represented NHL clubs in the World Cup of Hockey Semifinals with seven players each.