Canada vs. Finland results: Score, highlights from Canada's World Juniors-ending loss

Rudi Schuller

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Canada vs. Finland results: Score, highlights from Canada's World Juniors-ending loss image

Canada was within 46.4 seconds of advancing to the semifinals of the 2019 World Junior Championship.

Instead, the host nation finds itself eliminated from the tournament as an unlikely sequence of events led to Finland claiming a 2-1 overtime victory over the Canadians on Wednesday in Vancouver.

After Canada had taken the lead early in the second period through Ian Mitchell, it seemed as if there was nothing the Finns could do to equalize. Canadian goaltender Michael DiPietro was sensational in net, stopping everything that came his way for over 59 minutes as the Finnish team outshot its opponent but couldn't capitalize.

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Then, with less than a minute remaining and a desperate Finland squad pushing forward, an innocuous-looking centering attempt by Eeli Tolvanen led to an improbable game-tying goal as the puck deflected off the net and back to Tolvanen before bouncing off Aleksi Heponiemi's skate and under DiPietro's arm. The goal quieted a raucous crowd at Rogers Arena, and set the tone for the overtime period to come.

The 4-on-4 extra frame started off with the same frantic pace that was on display during much of regulation time, and just over a minute in Canada found itself with two great chances to end the game. First, Evan Bouchard charged in alone from the right wing and nearly sent the crowd into a frenzy when his breakaway attempt, but he was tugged from behind while attempting to shoot which led to a penalty shot.

With the game on the line, captain Max Comtois stepped up for the penalty shot but was easily stopped by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as he tried to slide the puck under the Finnish goalie's outstretched right leg.

Despite the setback, the Canadians kept pushing and made it to the verge of scoring through Noah Dobson with less than five minutes remaining. Dobson lined up what appeared to be a surefire one-timed goal but his stick broke on the shot attempt, allowing the Finns to break on the counterattack. A few seconds later the puck was in the back of the Canadian net after Toni Utunen's wrist shot deflected off Cody Glass' stick and past DiPietro.

The result sees Canada exit the tournament without a shot at a medal for the first time in 13 World Junior Championships on Canadian soil.

Sporting News provided live updates and highlights from Wednesday's contest below.  

Finland 2, Canada 1: Play-by-play, highlights

Overtime

4:43 - GOAL! Finland ends it. Noah Dobson's stick breaks as he seems primed to one-time the puck into the open net. That allows the Finns to jump on a counterattack, and a deflected wrister evades DiPietro for the winner. Finland 2, Canada 1

5:35 - Things are end to end here, as is to be expected.

7:43 - DiPietro makes a routine stop and freezes the puck.

8:46 - Max Comtois is selected to take it. He goes low, but his shot is weak and easily saved.

8:46 - Bouchard breaks in alone and gets tugged from behind as he's shooting. That means one thing... PENALTY SHOT!

9:03 - Utunen forces a good save from DiPietro. Nervy times here.

10:00 - Ten minutes of 4 on 4 coming up (possibly).

Third period

0:00 - Overtime is on the way. What an unreal ending to regulation time.

0:46.4 - GOAL! Finland gets the game-tying goal! It's the luckiest of bounces that ends up in the net to completely quiet the crowd. Wow. Canada 1, Finland 1

2:25 - EMPTY NET. Time is running out for Finland now, but a tying goal is still not completely out of the question given the way this game is being played.

5:11 - Brett Leason finds himself on a breakaway... but his attempt to go five-hole is stopped by the Finnish netminder! That save probably kept the Finns in the game.

8:15 - Finland still holds a 26-21 advantage in shots, even though Canada's been more threatening in this period.

10:00 - 10 minutes to go...

11:33 - Mad scramble in front of the Finnish net leads to several half-chances. Not sure how none of them went in, to be honest.

13:32 - Canada is very much on the front foot here. Much more than in the previous two periods.

16:30 - Good pace to start this period. The entire game has been played at high-speed, it seems.

20:00 - The final frame is underway.

Second period

0:00 - Period over. Canada outshot but up 1-0.

1:18 - Max Comtois jumps on Finnish a turnover at the Canadian blue line and has a near-breakaway, but his shot hits the side of the net.

3:55 - DiPietro makes a point-blank save on Tolvanen. The Finn tried to go five-hole, but the Canadian netminder was equal to the task. The Rogers Arena crowd chants DiPietro's name in appreciation.

5:10 - Jared McIsaac and Jesse Ylönen get in each others'' faces as the chippiness factor has definitely been turned up in this game.

6:13 - Michael DiPietro has made 20 saves so far, including some big ones.

8:06 - Back to even strength. The Canadians are struggling on the power play nearly as much as the Finns.

10:07 - It's Canada's turn to go on the power play now. Eeli Tolvanen called for slashing.

14:54 - Canada allows a pair of shots but kills off the power play. Finland is now 2/18 on the PP in the tournament. Yikes.

16:55 - Hooking call against the Canadians. Jared McIsaac is off to the penalty box as Finland heads to the power play.

18:30 - GOAL! Canada takes the lead on an Ian Mitchell laser beam! THat goal could be huge given how this game has been going. Canada 1, Finland 0

20:00 - We're back!

First period

0:00 - The horn sounds to end the opening period. Canada will feel very lucky to get out of those last few minutes unscathed.

2:00 - The Canadians are pinned in their own zone as Finland continues to force turnovers. 

3:30 - The pace of this game is extremely high, yet neither team really seems threatening at the moment.

8:31 - Finland gets to go on the man advantage as Noah Dobson is called for tripping.

10:00 - Very important update...

10:10 - Still nothing doing for Canada's power play as the Finns kill off their second penalty of the game.

12:11 - The Canadians are back on the power play as Aleksi Heponiemi held on to the puck with his hand.

16:04 - Back to 5 on 5 as Canada got one shot in that power play. Jared McIsaac got the shot in his first game back from suspension.

18:05 - Canada goes on the power play after Otto Latvala is called for high-sticking.

20:00 - The game is underway.

Pregame

The road to the final just got a little bit easier. Sweden was the top team from Group B.

Here's how Canada will line up tonight...

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• Canada scores, schedule, how to watch World Juniors games online

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Rudi Schuller