New United States disappointment in men's hockey against his neighbor, who also copes in curling and free skiing
Canada continues on a roll. Yesterday he won with everything, sticks, stones and jumps. He won the United States in the semifinals of men's hockey handling his sticks better, doubled the gold in curling, the curious bowling on ice, and took the gold and silver on the cross of women's free skiing that also closed the stunts with two boards.
New disappointment for the United States after the women's defeat of the previous day. He also lacked the rematch of his defeat in the final four years ago in Vancouver. Equal expected in the American train crash, and so it was. The United States arrived as the top scorer, but Canada attacked more and defended better. A loner was enough to be a small step above. More than enough in a game with goalkeepers of exception. The Canadian Price (Montreal Canadiens) stopped 31 shots, and the American Quick (Los Angeles Kings) 36. Only one could not. He was decisive before two minutes into the second period. Benn beat him. Bouwmeester, defender of the St. Louis Blues, crossed from the left to the area and captain of the Dallas Stars shot beyond repair.
Nobody would have said it, because there were still 38 minutes of play, but it was a confrontation to manage not only with force, but with subtlety. And Canada showed its category by resisting all the rival attacks without conceding a goal. Perhaps because of the scarcity of so many, it seemed a match without as much history as could be expected.But it served the same, among more colleagues than ever. It was the quintessence of the curious Olympic hockey with comrades and rivals of the NHL all mixed up. Maybe that's why there were not too many celebrations. Everything was too mixed to open wounds when in two weeks they will meet again in the professional league.
Canada will play the final with Sweden, which in the replay of the two played in Turin 2006 won again to neighboring Finland, 2-1. Just like the Canadian women's team in the final won to the United States, the Swedes negotiated more decisively the decisive moments of superiority by temporary expulsions. And that they suffered many more, 10 against 4, and played five minutes also in inferiority. But just Finland beat Sweden, 26-25.
It was also decided everything was decided in the second period. Finland went ahead after seven minutes through Jokinen (Winnipeg Jets), but Sweden drew 12 thanks in Ericsson (Detroit Red Wings). After resisting minutes of inferiority with his extraordinary goalkeeper Lundqvist (New York Rangers) and sentenced with three left by the end of the second third. Karlsson did take advantage of the expulsion of Jokinen precisely for tripping a rival. It was only 13 seconds to complete the two minutes of the usual penalty and Finland did not resist with four field players against the five Swedes. Afterwards, they handled their short advantage much better, unlike the Americans on Thursday.
Finland will play for the bronze with the United States, which runs the risk of remaining even off the podium against the same opponent that fell to Russia in the quarterfinals.
The particular curling
The Canadian superiority was total in the stones of curling, a sport so particular that it can sometimes trap in its theoretical boredom. Undoubtedly he does it in all the European and American north, and begins to do it in China, that lost the bronze only before Sweden after the female one obtained four years ago.
The Canadians monopolized the two titles this time. The women did not need to arrive on Thursday or the last heat of the 10 that are disputed, and they took revenge from the Swedes, who gave them displeasure at home four years ago. The men, also winners in Vancouver 2010, had up to two series yesterday. They overwhelmed with their precision in the throws by the ice of the circular stone of almost 20 kilos of weight. The advantage of 9-3 was impossible to overcome, because it is to leave in the final circle the largest number of stones near the center. Canada, the great world sport power that was born in Scotland five centuries ago, humbled precisely the founder, the United Kingdom.
Marielle Thompson, the great favorite, imposed her law in the ski cross, where she slipped and jumped more than anyone. And as the day was a total Canadian holiday, Kelsey Serwa accompanied her with the silver in the final round of acrobatic skiing. With it ended up beating the United States in the five disputed tests of the modality, as much in medals, 9-7, as in golds, 4-3. The maple leaf in every corner of Sochi.
