United States, Canada set to face off for gold

Associated press of Canada Sidney Crosby waits on the puck in a front against the Slovakia are deleted.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - another young, fast team exceeded a veteran-laden opponents in the final of men's Olympic hockey tournament Friday to establish as Canada Slovakia 3-2, a rematch with Team USA for gold Sunday defeated.

"The guys are already looking forward to it," said Canadian goaltender Roberto Luongo.

The game was much closer and more hard-fought the U.S. game of Finland earlier in the day which was in the first 10 minutes past. But it followed a similar pattern. Canada like the US jumped out to an early lead with his Forecheck until the opposition bottle and let your goalkeeper escape hardly tested.

The twist was that pushed Canada much harder scored the Slovaks two goals in the last post of Canadians may began to hear, "We want their in the delirium fans who already sing with 12 minutes USA!"

Celebrate Canadian players after winning your semi-final against the Slovakia Getty Images.

The Slovaks were thin on talent like the Finns. Compulsion older players, some of which could not have since links insert or establish themselves in the National Hockey League. Players like Jozef Stümpel (34) once consistent scorer in the NHL was (37), Zigmund Palffy (37) and Richard Zednik, but moved back closer to home for the sunset of her career. Others, like Defender Martin Strbak, never made, that far, drink a cup of coffee in the hockey's best League years earlier.

But unlike the Finns and other opponents, Zdeno Chara, one of the best scorers in the League had to Slovaks some top end talent in her best years as such as one of the best defenders in the NHL, Marian Gaborik, and one of the best all-round forwards, Marian Hossa.

You made consistently difficult for Canadians, life forechecking tirelessly, with Hossa particularly effective in pinning of Canadians deep in its end - perhaps a lesson on the U.S. team has used a similar strategy to other teams. Mr Gáborík was also difficult, sometimes ripping the left wing and kritisierend shot on Mr. Luongo.

Canada's strategy for scoring was simple: put pucks on net and screen the Slovakian goalkeeper, Jaroslav Halák, an emerging netminder in the NHL. At 6-foot not Halák a ideal size for Netminders in today's hockey. Placed create Canada smartly forwards it to screens.

If Mr Chara on the ice was not this worked. Put simply it away the Canadian after front. But if some of you could not less Slovak Defender on the ice were the bulkiest of Canadian Forwads.

This led to objectives early Patrick Marleau and Brenden Morrow, with Slovakia defender Lubomír Višnovský on two victims. Mr Višnovský, power play specialist with the Edmonton Oilers, paired with Mr Strbak, a great defender but not a great one. Were by far Slovakia weakest defensive pairing at an early stage.

Canada extends its lead in the third on a goal from Ryan Getzlaf in a goal mouth scramble. But the Slovaks don't give up. Keep the Fort with Mr Halák it was up to two his lesser lights to bring you to a destination.

First came Mr. Višnovský, made using its rushing capabilities to calculate the ice cream and squeeze a backhand shot through a tiny room Mr Luongo left - a goal that would have liked the netminder probably back. Who in an target after pressure Slovak with 4: 53 links came a big forward for the Los Angeles Kings a second of Michal Handzuš, batted.

But also after Slovakia his goalkeeper it not all about the firepower to the equalizer score and Canada considered instead, set up a rematch with Team USA. Pavol Demitra had a chance to tie in the final seconds but missed an open network.

U.S. forward Patrick Kane said after his team's game, that he was almost sad beating Finland as soon ended because it's his team a chance to continue even test deprived. "This was a large 15 minutes for us but it would have been nice, a full 60 play," said Mr. Kane.

This is probably no regrets the Canadians had. The team saw convert match ended and started the fans singing, "We want USA!" some more.

Write toIan Johnson in the ian.johnson@wsj.com

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