Inglorious victory for Canada against China | National Teams – Ice Hockey

Canada and China meet for a final play-off game that is presumed to be pointless after the rehearsal the day before yesterday (5-0). Jeremy Smith has regained his place in front of the Chinese nets, but not Eddie Pasquale. Frölunda goalkeeper Matt Tomkins is confirmed after his shutout. The only change in the Canadian roster is the entry of defenseman Morgan Ellis. Coming as a simple reserve, he was activated on the main list when his longtime friend Brandon Gormley tested positive for Covid-19 (they are both from Prince Edward Island and won the Memorial Cup whole). Ellis is lined up for the first time in the tournament, in place of Grant.

After four minutes of play, when Spencer Foo is launched on a breakaway between the defenders, it is precisely Ellis inflicts a blow with his butt. Foo’s penalty shot misses the right boot from Matt Tomkins who makes a decisive save. Three minutes later, with Rudi Ying in jail for a high stick, the Canadian power play is going too fast for the Chinese. Adam Tambellini’s one-timer in the right circle hits the post and Jordan Weal has the cage wide open on the rebound. Open or almost: defender Jason Fram would have stopped Weal’s shot if he had worn thick goalkeeper boots, but the puck went between his thighs (1-0). Canada’s first penalty – a slash from Winnik – was canceled when Wong slammed into the keeper. the Chinese captain Brandon Yip is sanctioned in turn for an obstruction and Canada can play 5 against 3. We take the same and we start again. Tambellini throws to the cage. Eric Staal grabs the rebound and his quick pass immediately offers a new unstoppable open cage to Weal on the left side (2-0).

These power plays could have killed the game, but the number 1 of the last NHL draft makes a big mistake in his zone: the young superstar Owen Power recovers a puck there and keeps it too passively while being pressed by Ethan Werek to one side and Cory Kane on the other. Kane takes the puck from him and beats Tomkins mitten side (2-1). Power aggravates his case with a roughing penalty, without consequence. The end-of-period siren sounded with the same score and everyone was about to go back to the locker room… but goalkeeper Jeremy Smith was lying on the ice writhing in pain. He was injured while getting into position on the last Canadian shot (which he never received because he was countered on the way). Smith cannot put his right leg on the ground and is carried by two officials, in goalkeeping gear, backstage. Compassion and dismay mingle on all Chinese faces. Smith is the team’s most important player.

Paris O’Brien must once again face the Canadian shooters. The young goaltender remains well placed for a first shoulder save on a close shot from David Desharnais. But his weakness between the leggings, glaring the day before yesterday, catches up with him: it is again there that he lets pass a harmless low shot without force (3-1). On O’Brien’s discharge, the puck was slightly deflected by the knee on the ground of his defender (Jake Chelios). In his defense too, his team was inferior because of an idiotic penalty, a charge against the boards of one of the few Chinese players, Zesen Zhang, clearly the victim of an excess of enthusiasm inversely proportional to his game time…

China receives a penalty and a penalty shot at the same time, because Jake Chelios hung Tambellini. This one does not miss his penalty to register his fourth point of the evening (4-1, picture below). The positive point for the host country is that the penalty is killed but it then concedes its first goal at 5 against 5: a sending of the blue of Jason Demers perfectly deflected at mid-distance by Eric O’Dell (5-1) . All is well for Canada… except for rookie Morgan Ellis. He raises his arm to Peter Zhong’s head and the referees will review the action on video. Ellis escapes the match penalty and « just » takes a five-minute major penalty. Spencer Foo misses the puck on an open cage rebound. But when Wotherspoon goes to jail in turn (remember), China plays 5 against 3. Luke Lockhart works on a axial throw from Chelios and – in the rink almost empty for sanitary reasons – everyone hears the howl of joy of Cory Kane when he puts on the rebound (5-2).

The last period is without much passion. Canadian captain Eric Staal, disappointing in the group stage, scored his first goal of the tournament with a bit of luck, as his shot went off target but was deflected by the body of a defender in the net (6- 2). Jack McBain converts on the rebound, alone against the goalkeeper, a shot from Maxim Noreau’s blue (7-2). The five goal difference is not really deserved for China.

Canada aren’t much further ahead heading into their quarter-final against Sweden, who will have had two days off. This match seems without influence: given their relatively low intensity, the Canadians did not really get tired before playing again tomorrow, but we cannot say either that they have the advantage of being well in rhythm. The effectiveness of their power play, and the confidence it can engender in forwards, is undoubtedly the main achievement of this day in the team with the maple leaf. The organization and the collective effort at 5 against 5 frankly left something to be desired.

Canada – China 7-2 (2-1, 3-1, 2-0)
Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 9:10 p.m. at the National Sports Center in Beijing. 994 spectators.
Referees: Michael Tscherrig (SUI) and Kristian Vikman (FIN) assisted by David Obwegeser (SUI) and Jiří Ondráček (TCH).
Penalties: Canada 15′ (4′, 9′, 2′), China 18′ (8′, 6′, 4′).
Shots: Canada 45 (17, 11, 17), China 29 (10, 13, 6).

Score evolution:
1-0 at 06’57: Weal assisted by Tambellini and Noreau (num. sup.)
2-0 at 09:55: Weal assisted by Staal and Tambellini (double numerical sup.)
2-1 at 15’32: Kane assisted by Werek
3-1 at 26’36: Tambellini assisted by Noreau and Weal (num. sup.)
4-1 at 28’39: Tambellini (penalty shot)
5-1 at 32’05: O’Dell assisted by Demers and Johnson
5-2 at 38:59: Kane assisted by Lockhart and Chelios (num. sup.)
6-2 at 55’55: Staal assisted by McTavish and McBain
7-2 at 58’19: McBain assisted by Noreau and Tambellini (num. sup.)

Canada

Forwards:
Mason McTavish (+1, 2′) – Eric Staal (C, +1) – Jack McBain (+1)
Jordan Weal (-1) – Adam Tambellini (-1) – Corban Knight (-1)
Ben Street (+1) – Eric O’Dell (+1) – Kent Johnson (+1)
Daniel Winnik (4′) – David Desharnais (A) – Adam Cracknell
Josh Ho Sang

Defenders:
Owen Power (2′) – Mat Robinson (+1)
Tyler Wotherspoon (+1, 2′) – Maxim Noreau (A, -1)
Mark Barberio – Jason Demers (+1)
Morgan Ellis (5′)

Guardian :
Matt Tomkins

Substitute: Eddie Pasquale (G). In reserve: Devon Levi (L), Alex Grant (D), Landon Ferraro (A).

China (2′ for excess)

Forwards:
Parker Foo [Fu Shuai] (2′) – Luke Lockhart [Luo Jia] –Spencer Foo [Fu Jiang] (AT 12′)
Ethan Werek [Wei Ruike] (+1) – Tyler Wong [Wang Taile] (-2, 2′) – Brandon Yip [Ye Jinguang] (C, +1, 4′)
Peter Zhong [Zhong Wei] [4 présences] – Cory Kane [Jian An] (2′) – Zhang Zesen (2′)
Rudi Ying (2′) [2 présences]Yan Ruinan [1 présence]

Defenders:
Jake Chelios [Jieke Kailiaosi] (-1) – Ryan Sproul [Ruian Sipulaoer]
Denis Osipov [Dannisi Aoxibofu] (-1) – Ty Schultz [Zheng Enlai] (A, -1)
Zach Yuen [Yuan Junjie] (-2) – Jason Fram [Liu Jie] (+1)

Guardian :
Jeremy Smith [Jieruimi Shimisi] then at 20’00’ Paris O’Brien [Ouban Yongli]

Substitutes: Han Pengfei (L, dressed from 20’00), Chen Zimeng (R), Zhang Pengfei (R) Yan Juncheng (A). In reserve: Xiang Xudong (A), Guo Jianing (A).