Canadians overpower Czech Republic to claim men’s ice hockey bronze

Matthias Plactha had a goal and an assist, Frank Mauer and Brooks Macek each had a goal for Germany.

Just before the shootout, Oshie – who converted four of six shots in a legendary shootout win over Russian Federation four years ago in Sochi – tweeted his support for Terry, but Francouz was able to save a multiple-fake try by the University of Denver player.

The Czech Republic has the bronze from 2006 and gold from 1998 in Nagano.

GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AP) – Bjorn Krupp’s journey started at the Duluth IceForum in suburban Atlanta.

This team had the best young talent it could select in Terry, Donato and fellow college player Jordan Greenway.

The Czech Republic, which lost to the Olympic Athletes from Russian Federation in the semifinals, could never cut the deficit to less than two the rest of the way despite three goals in the third period.

The group of unheralded players could leave here remembered as a team that essentially embarrassed itself in a humiliating semifinal loss to Germany, or they could return home with an Olympic medal.

Through 14 days, 10 of Canada’s best-ever 27 medals are gold.

Krupp’s “crazy journey” took him to tiny Belleville, Ontario, for junior hockey and then to Germany. The game could have gone either way, but Canada went on to glory, and the Americans, so deflated by the loss, walked into the bronze medal game like they didn’t want to be there – and it showed.

“Everybody talks about 1976 and winning bronze medal, and now for the next 50 years they’re going to talk about us”, German defenseman Christian Ehrhoff said. But this team of players past their prime or not good enough to be in the National Hockey League revealed a great deal about their character on Saturday.

The tactical decision proved to be the difference for Niskanen, who beat Bolshunov with a strong sprint to the finish and won Finland’s first gold medal of the PyeongChang Olympics.

“We just hope win one more game”, he said to one question, adding: “We need one more win”. “If we keep fighting like this, we have nothing to lose”. “Because the last time the German team had a chance to play for a medal was ’76 (when West Germany won bronze in Innsbruck) so it was a long time ago”.

“That was a great win”, Canada coach Willie Desjardins said. “Our team chat was called “Mission Gold” from Day One and maybe we needed to be a little nuts to believe ourselves”.

Derek Roy pushed the lead to 3-1 at the end of the first period.

Ebbett and Kelly added a goal apiece in the third, and Wojtek Wolski also scored for Canada, which finished with bronze in 1968 and 1956.

Poulin refused to speak to reporters afterward. And in the near repeat of what had happened in the first, the two teams proceeded to trade goals in quick succession.

“It stings a lot”, forward Rob Klinkhammer said. “Just a couple penalties there early on”. “It’s too bad we don’t have a medal”. The Czech team responded 46 seconds later with a goal by Jan Kover to make it 4-2.

Canada’s three goals came on nine first-period shots against goalie Pavel Francouz, who stoned all but one Canadian shooter in the Czechs’ 3-2 shootout win in the preliminary round. While it might be attributed to South Korea’s distance from home and the lack of NHL stars, Canada’s average attendance of 4,378 ranked ninth among the 12th hockey entries. I am very proud of the guys and the way they responded.