Sunday morning Canada faced their toughest competition to date at the 2014 Sochi Olympics as they squared off against Finland to conclude their Preliminary Round play.
What transpired over the sixty-two minutes it took to declare a winner was a back-and-forth hockey game in which defensive structure ruled supreme.
From opening puck drop, Canada controlled most of the play, out-possessing and out-shooting the Finns at every turn.
Drew Doughty opened the scoring for the Canadians on a power play late in the first period, wiring a shot over the blocker arm of Tuukka Rask.
The Canadians would skate with their one goal lead until the eight minute mark of the second period before Finland notched their equalizing strike. Moments after Jeff Carter missed a glorious opportunity by pushing a backhand inches wide of a gaping Finnish net, Tuomo Ruutu redirected a Jussi Jokinen shot that fooled Canadian goaltender Carey Price.
Despite an 8-2 shot disparity favouring Canada in the third period, the game would remain tied and overtime was needed to decide a winner.
With only fleeting moments remaining in the extra stanza, Doughty took a pass from Carter streaking down the left wing and firing a shot that slipped under the pad of Rask, cementing a jubilant 2-1 win for Canada.
By gaining a point for the overtime loss, Finland locked up the fourth seed in the Relegation Round, earning them a bye to the Quarterfinals and a date with either Russia or Norway.
Canada for their part will also get a bye as the third seed playing the winner of Switzerland and Latvia on Wednesday. Should Canada advance to the Semifinals they will likely face-off against the United States of America in a rematch of the 2010 Olympic gold medal game.
| FIN | CAN | |
| 1 | SCORE | 2 |
| 15 (6.67%) | SHOTS | 27 (7.41%) |
| 25 (.925%) | SAVES | 14 (.933%) |
| 2 | PIM | 2 |
