(Prague) Brandon Hagel broke the deadlock in the third period and Canada overcame a difficult start to the match to finally defeat Finland 5-3 on Saturday at the World Hockey Championship.
Finland took the first 12 shots on goal of the match and scored the first two goals. Canada, however, turned things around and overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 before winning.
Owen Power had a goal and two assists, and his Buffalo Sabers teammate Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist, while Brandon Tanev and Dawson Mercer, in an empty net, also scored for Canada. John Tavares had two assists and Jordan Binnington stopped 29 shots.
PHOTO PETR DAVID JOSEK, ASSOCIATED PRESS
John Tavares (91) and Brandon Hagel (38)
Canada joined Switzerland at the top of Group A with 14 points each. The Czech Republic could climb to the top later on Saturday with a regulation-time victory over Great Britain.
However, Switzerland and Canada are already assured of participation in the elimination round.
For Finland, Jesse Puljujarvi scored twice and Valtteri Puustinen also scored. Harri Sateri made 17 saves.
Canada lost the services of defenseman Bowen Byram late in the second period, when he received a major penalty and a game misconduct for hitting Puljujarvi in the crotch with a stick.
The Finnish forward was also punished in the sequence and Canada took advantage of the four-on-four portion of play to tie the game 3-3. Power received a nice pass from Cozens and beat Sateri on the shield side.
Hagel gave Canada the lead for the first time in the game at 11:32 of the final period. After applying a nice forecheck, he took advantage of a pass from Tavares to slip the puck into a gaping cage. Pierre-Luc Dubois had joined Tavares, completely alone in the enclave.
Binnington closed the door afterward, making a few good saves before seeing Mercer deliver the final blow by scoring into an empty net with 21 seconds left on the clock.
Canada, the reigning tournament champion, will play its next match on Sunday against Switzerland.