Canada Remains Perfect

Despite a poor second period, Canada was able to overcome a charge from Germany to win 5-2 and remain perfect at the World Hockey Championships.

The first goal of the game is one that German goaltender Timo Pielmeier will want back. Ryan Murray got the puck to Canadian star Taylor Hall, who took control of the disk in the neutral zone. Hall was moslty unchallenged heading down the ice, and it would be his shot that would beat Pielmeier just under the glove and in for the 1-0 lead just 3:54 into the game.

The Germans thought they had a goal of their own, something they didn't achieve in a 10-0 loss a year ago to the Canadians. Gerrit Fauser was the one who put the puck in, but after a review, it was clear he instead kicked the puck in with his left foot and the goal was waved off.

Germany did a splendid job of keeping Canada off the scoreboard further, but that couldn't stop them from allowing a second goal. While on the power play at 3:22, Derick Brassard found Matt Duchene to the right of Germany's net. Duchene fired the shot in front, but Corey Perry was there to tip the puck in and extend Canada's lead to two goals with most of the contest still to go.

Chris Tanev flying. Photo: Ing. Vladimír Koláček

With 11 minutes completed in the second, Germany finally scored their first goal of the game. Dominik Kahun worked hard along the boards to keep the play alive before sending it off to Marcel Noebels. Noebels was locked up just in front of the hashmarks, so he made a kick pass over to Patrick Reimer. Reimer was prepared, one-timing it hard past Cam Talbot and in to give Germany the goal.

Canadian fans were getting nervous. With about 2:30 left in the second, Sinan Akdag tied the game up for Germany after his scary-accurate wrist shot beat Talbot. The goal sent the two teams tied heading into the intermission, a situation many people probably didn't expect.

Canada did expect, however, to score early in the third to regain the lead. At the 3:12 mark of the final period, Connor McDavid picked up the puck in the corner to the right of the German net. McDavid made a nifty pass to Hall in front, scoring on Pielmeier after the former San Jose Sharks prospect came out of his crease trying to make an earlier save. Hall was close to adding his third goal just minutes later, but this time, Pielmeier was good enough to make the save.

McDavid under Pielmeier. Photo: Ing. Vladimír Koláček

Canada had no issue getting the two goal advantage shortly after. Morgan Rielly took the original shot from the point, and Boone Jenner was right there to tip it in to make it 4-2 Canada just three minutes after Hall took the lead back. Cody Ceci would grab Canada's fifth goal of the contest after slapping it at the point, finishing off Canada's 5-2 victory on the power play with seven minutes to go.

Canada will get some time off before meeting with Slovakia on Saturday night. Germany, however, will be thrusted right back into action, facing Belarus in an attempt to put themselves back in a position to be back in a quarter-final spot.

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