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Canada wins World Cup of Hockey in stunning third-period rally

GettyImages-611469376
GettyImages-611469376

TORONTO – Brad Marchand’s short-handed goal with 44 seconds remaining in Game 2 of the World Cup of Hockey final gave Canada the 2-1 win and the tournament championship, the result of a stunning third-period rally against Team Europe on Thursday night.

The host team finished the tournament 6-0, overcoming the toughest opponent they faced and the tightest game they played in the two-week tournament.

Carey Price made 32 saves. Sidney Crosby was named tournament MVP.

In Game 1 of the World Cup of Hockey final, Canada showed how it could win ugly. In Game 2, they nearly showed they could lose that way, too, playing a disjointed and sloppy game.

Until the last three minutes of the game, that is.

With Europe leading 1-0, Anze Kopitar was called for holding 16:25, a questionable call. After building pressure in the Europe zone, Brent Burns fired a shot from the blue line that Patrice Bergeron deflected home from the slot for his fourth goal of the tournament.

Drew Doughty went to the box later for a high-sticking call, and Europe had its shot on the power play. One in particular: Marian Hossa’s rifle shot that nearly beat Price, but he made the save.

And then it was time for Marchand’s short-handed heroics, and the World Cup was Canada’s.

Jonathan Toews entered the zone on an odd-man rush with Jay Bouwmeester. Suddenly, Marchand rushed in as the trailer, finding space between four Europe players to take a backhand pass from Toews and fire the puck past Jaroslav Halak (32 saves).

Then, 44 seconds later, Canada flooded the ice for a wild celebration.

Zdeno Chara got Team Europe on the board with his second goal of the tournament.

Andrej Sekera skated into the zone and had Tobias Rieder going to the net with Drew Doughty. Canada’s Ryan Getzlaf slid over and attempted to help on defense, but that allowed Chara to slip in down the wing. Sekera slid a pretty pass across the zone, and Chara snapped the puck over the glove of Carey Price to the far top corner for the 1-0 lead at 6:26.

The Canadians caught a break later in the period on a breakaway from Marian Hossa, as Brent Burns was called for a hook rather than Hossa receiving a penalty shot. It was close.

Europe outshot Canada 12-8.

The second period was plagued with close calls and mistakes from both sides. Europe whiffed on some chances, including Jannik Hansen flubbing a breakaway. But none were more egregious than this shot by John Tavares directly into the iron:

Yikes.

Canada entered intermission down 1-0, and getting outshot 27-21.

The third period saw more of the same: Europe bending but not breaking, Canada pushing but not connecting, Halak making a series of tough saves.

But then Anze Kopitar was whistled for holding and that gave Canada the power play it needed. And then the World Cup.

In the end, the World Cup ended the only way it could: With drama, a challenge from a worthy foe and Canada on top.