OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – They came, as the 2010 Canadian Olympic men’s team once did in a crucial game against Russia, like gorillas out of a cage.
Canada's juniors scored three times before the game was four minutes old and soared to a four-goal first period to flatten the Finns 5-0 before 8,693 spectators Saturday at Ostravar Arena.
The semifinal win was proper revenge for last year’s quarter-final heartbreak in Vancouver. And now, the red-and-white redemption train tries to make one last stop in the gold-medal game against Russia, which stomped Canada 6-0 a week ago.
Canada and Russia last met for the crown in 2015 at Toronto, won 5-4 by the host squad. It will be the 10th time they have met in the last 25 years, with Canada winning five of the previous nine meetings.
The triumph came at a cost, though.
Captain Barrett Hayton, the team’s top centre, left the ice in the third period clutching his arm and retreated to the dressing room. He had roared out of the penalty box and went charging after a loose puck in the Finnish end, only to be obstructed and then fallen on by defender Lassi Thomson.
By then, the game was already well in hand.
Connor McMichael started the onslaught at the 1:48 mark with a deceptive rising shot that handcuffed Finnish netminder Justus Annunen for his fourth of the tournament. McMichael, a Capitals first rounder, was an injury add-on for Canada at the world junior summer showcase before putting together a superb first half with London to earn a spot with the team.
Likely NHL No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere torched the Avalanche prospect 1:17 later and the Canadians already had more goals in the first four shifts than they managed in all of last year’s overtime loss.
Finnish coach Raimo Helminen used his timeout to try to settle down his team. It didn’t help.
Canada outshot the Finns 10-2 in the first five minutes and had Annunen, generally regarded as the best stopper in the tournament, under siege. Jamie Drysdale, a 17-year-old defenceman, made it 3-0 at the 3:55 mark and the rout was on.
The Erie Otters sophomore had been used sparingly during the last week, but was forced into extra duty with the absence of Colorado fourth-overall pick Bowen Byram due to illness.
A flu bug swept through the Canadian camp over the past few days.
Canada will need all hands on deck for the final. With about 10 minutes left, the large contingent of Canadian fans in the rink started chanting, “We want Russia.”
They will get them – and a chance to avenge their worst ever tournament loss.
