A Florida Panthers defenseman cost Team Finland their semifinal game with a controversial penalty in the final minutes of the game.
A late-game collapse has sent Team Finland to the bronze medal game after a heartbreaker in Milan. Nathan MacKinnon and head coach Jon Cooper are moving on to the gold medal final, but the story is all about a single on-ice call.
With the game tied and the clock ticking down, the Finnish defense finally cracked under immense pressure.
The Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola took a controversial minor penalty in the final minutes of regulation, handing Canada a golden opportunity.
Nathan MacKinnon Scores Game-Winning Goal During Niko Mikkola's Penalty
Canada’s power play didn't waste the opportunity. After putting immense pressure in the offensive zone, MacKinnon buried the winner to seal a 3-2 victory. Finland immediately challenged the play, hoping for an offside or goalie interference call to save their tournament.
The officials spent several minutes at the monitor, but it wasn't enough to overturn the call on the ice. The goal stood.
The ticket to the final was right there for the taking. Instead, Mikkola’s seat in the penalty box became the graveyard of their championship hopes.
The result sets up a massive Sunday for Canada. Whether it’s a showdown with the USA or a battle against a resilient Slovakian squad, the pressure will be even higher. For Mikkola, the flight back to Florida will be a long one.
Now, the focus goes to the other side of the bracket. The next semifinal goes down soon between Slovakia and the United States. We will see if the Americans can maintain the North American dominance in Italy.
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