For the 28th time in tournament history, Canada has won the IIHF men’s World Hockey Championship, taking gold in Finland on Sunday via a 4-2 victory over Germany.
Canada has now overtaken Russia as the event's all-time gold medal leader, winning it for the second time in three years.
Germany, for its part, has now won silver for the second time.
It took just 7:44 for the Germans to strike first. Buffalo’s JJ Peterka just made it onside with the puck and ended up beating Samuel Montembeault with a low shot to make it 1-0. Canada subsequent challenge was unsuccessful – and Canada killed the penalty.
Three minutes later, the Canadians struck back. Peyton Krebs was able to find a streaking Samuel Blais near the net. Blais, who split the season between the New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues, beat Mathias Niederberger to make it 1-1.
The second period saw much of the same, with Germany scoring first and Canada answering back. Daniel Fischbuch scored at 33:47 with a shot that somehow beat Montembeault low, giving Germany the 2-1 lead. But four minutes later, Arizona’s Lawson Crouse scored on the man advantage after Krebs found him in the slot, with Crouse knocking it in with the tip to make it 2-2.
The third period was all Canada. At 44:51, Blais scored his second of the game on the power play after Cody Glass forced a turnover, giving Canada its first lead. Tyler Toffoli scored the goal that ended up being the ultimate gut-punch to the Germans, going five-hole on Niederberger to make it 4-2. Scott Laughton finished off the effort at 58:06 on the empty net, providing the final goal in the team's 5-2 win.
Earlier in the day, Latvia won its first IIHF medal with a 4-3 win over the United States to secure the bronze.
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