Blais scores 2 as Canada downs Germany 5-2 for record 28th title at hockey worlds

I THINK THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE LAST SUMMER RESIGNING OUR KEY PLAYERS THAT WERE FREE, AGENTS THAT WERE PART OF THIS CORE FOREVER, GINO AND CHRIS SPOKE TO THE COMMITMENT AND WHERE OUR FOCUS IS. AND WE THINK THAT LIKE I SAID IN MY STATEMENT, WE THINK THIS IS A TEAM THAT’S COMPLETELY CAPABLE OF COMPETING FOR STANLEY CUPS MOVING FORWARD. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THAT SIDNEY CROSBY NEVER PLAYS A GAME IN ANOTHER UNIFORM OTHER THAN THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS. I CAN’T SPEAK TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, DAY ONE OF THINKING ABOUT THIS, SO I CAN’T SPEAK TO ANY ROLE THAT ANYBODY’S GOING TO HAVE MOVING FORWARD. NOW, WHEN HE’S TALKING ABOUT ROLES THERE, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WOULD SIDNEY CROSBY HAVE A ROLE IN WHO THEY DO HIRE FOR THE NEXT OPERATIONS OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS? AND LIKE YOU SAID, OR LIKE HE SAID, YOU KNOW, HE’S NOT REALLY SURE AND HE CAN’T REALLY SPEAK ON WHO IS GOING TO PLAY A ROLE WITHIN THAT DECISION. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY EXPECT CROSBY TO REMAIN A PAYING ONE FOR AS LONG AS HE’S PLAYING IN THE NHL. AND IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE THEY DO NOT PLAN ON SPLITTING UP THE CORE ANY TIME SOON. AS FOR THE FUTURE OF COACH MIKE SULLIVAN, WHAT IS IT THAT ANSWER WILL BE COMING UP AT SIX. BUT FOR NOW, LIVE IN CRANBURY. HI, I’M EMILY. JOHN GRECO FOR PITTSBURGH’S ACTION SPORTS. ALL RIGHT, EMILY, THANKS. WE HEARD FROM BRIAN BURKE TODAY. HE SAID ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING HIS FIRING, QUOTE, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE WORKED IN THIS PASSIONATE SPORTS TOWN. THANK YOU TO FC MARIO LEMIEUX TO DAVID MOREHOUSE MANAGEMENT AND COACHES, AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR GREAT GROUP OF PLAYERS. BEST OF LUCK TO TH

Samuel Blais scored two goals to rally Canada to a 5-2 victory over Germany in the final of the ice hockey world championship on Sunday.It’s a record 28th world title for Canada, and its second in three years. Russia has 27 while Germany has never won the trophy.Blais netted with a backhand 4:51 into the final period for a 3-2 lead for Canada, which was playing in its fourth straight final.“It feels really good,” Blais said. “We’ve been in Europe for a month and we’ve all waited for that moment to play for the gold medal game. And we’re lucky enough to have won it.”Lawson Crouse, Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada, Peyton Krebs had two assists and goaltender Samuel Montembeault stopped 21 shots.Toffoli stretched the lead to 4-2 from the left circle with 8:09 remaining and Laughton made it 5-2 with an empty net goal.Adam Fantilli became only the second Canadian player after Jonathan Toews to win gold at the world juniors and world championship the same year.Canada had to come back twice in the final.John Peterka wristed a shot past Montembeault from the left circle 7:44 into the game. It was the sixth goal for the Buffalo Sabres forward at the tournament.Blais was fed by Krebs to beat goaltender Mathias Niederberger and tie it 1-1 at 10:47.Daniel Fischbuch put the Germans ahead again with a one-timer with 6:13 to go in the middle period.Crouse equalized on a power play with 2:32 remaining in the frame.It was the first medal for Germany since 1953 when it was second behind Sweden.The two previously met just once in the final with Canada winning 6-1 in 1930.LATVIA GETS BRONZEDefenseman Kristian Rubins scored his second goal 1:22 into overtime to lead Latvia to a 4-3 victory over the United States and earn a bronze medal earlier Sunday.It’s the first top-three finish for Latvia at the tournament. Its previous best was a seventh place it managed three times.The U.S. lost in the bronze medal game for the second straight year. The U.S. team was cruising through the tournament with eight straight wins until it was defeated by Germany in the semifinal 4-3 in overtime.Rubins rallied Latvia with his first with 5:39 to go in the final period to tie the game at 3 to force overtime.Roberts Bukarts and Janis Jaks also scored for Latvia.Rocco Grimaldi scored twice for the U.S. in the opening period to negate Latvia’s 1-0 and 2-1 leads.Matt Coronato had put the U.S. 3-2 ahead 6:19 into the final period.

TAMPERE, Finland (AP) —

Samuel Blais scored two goals to rally Canada to a 5-2 victory over Germany in the final of the ice hockey world championship on Sunday.

It’s a record 28th world title for Canada, and its second in three years. Russia has 27 while Germany has never won the trophy.

Blais netted with a backhand 4:51 into the final period for a 3-2 lead for Canada, which was playing in its fourth straight final.

“It feels really good,” Blais said. “We’ve been in Europe for a month and we’ve all waited for that moment to play for the gold medal game. And we’re lucky enough to have won it.”

Lawson Crouse, Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada, Peyton Krebs had two assists and goaltender Samuel Montembeault stopped 21 shots.

Toffoli stretched the lead to 4-2 from the left circle with 8:09 remaining and Laughton made it 5-2 with an empty net goal.

Adam Fantilli became only the second Canadian player after Jonathan Toews to win gold at the world juniors and world championship the same year.

Canada had to come back twice in the final.

John Peterka wristed a shot past Montembeault from the left circle 7:44 into the game. It was the sixth goal for the Buffalo Sabres forward at the tournament.

Blais was fed by Krebs to beat goaltender Mathias Niederberger and tie it 1-1 at 10:47.

Daniel Fischbuch put the Germans ahead again with a one-timer with 6:13 to go in the middle period.

Crouse equalized on a power play with 2:32 remaining in the frame.

It was the first medal for Germany since 1953 when it was second behind Sweden.

The two previously met just once in the final with Canada winning 6-1 in 1930.

LATVIA GETS BRONZE

Defenseman Kristian Rubins scored his second goal 1:22 into overtime to lead Latvia to a 4-3 victory over the United States and earn a bronze medal earlier Sunday.

It’s the first top-three finish for Latvia at the tournament. Its previous best was a seventh place it managed three times.

The U.S. lost in the bronze medal game for the second straight year. The U.S. team was cruising through the tournament with eight straight wins until it was defeated by Germany in the semifinal 4-3 in overtime.

Rubins rallied Latvia with his first with 5:39 to go in the final period to tie the game at 3 to force overtime.

Roberts Bukarts and Janis Jaks also scored for Latvia.

Rocco Grimaldi scored twice for the U.S. in the opening period to negate Latvia’s 1-0 and 2-1 leads.

Matt Coronato had put the U.S. 3-2 ahead 6:19 into the final period.

Blais scores 2 as Canada downs Germany 5-2 for record 28th title at hockey worlds

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Good Housekeeping