Ladies’s World Championship Roundup: Controversy clouds USA’s gold medal victory

Information
Finland appeared to have gained the Ladies’s World Championship on the power of Petra Nieminen’s extra time winner, however the aim was disallowed after a prolonged evaluate. Group USA went on to win in a shootout because of objectives from Amanda Kessel and Annie Pankowski.Group USA celebrates its gold medal victory|Mikko Stig/AFP/Getty ImagesUSA WINS GOLD AFTER FINLAND’S APPARENT GAME-WINNING GOAL DISALLOWEDHistory was made, till it wasn’t, and the gold medal recreation of the 2019 Ladies’s World Championship will endlessly be remembered for one of the crucial controversial moments in worldwide hockey historical past.
One night time after surprising the hockey world by incomes a berth within the last by downing Canada, Finland had battled USA to a 1-1 tie by means of regulation of the gold medal recreation, and it was within the further body that Petra Nieminen appeared to attain the golden aim that made the Finns the primary non-North American nation to win a top-level senior competitors.
With little lower than 9 minutes remaining within the four-on-four extra time, Finland captain Jenni Hiirikoski made a blinding end-to-end rush, splitting the American protection and rifling a shot on aim. The preliminary shot was stopped by Group USA goaltender Alex Rigsby, however left a rebound which Hiirikoski lunged in the direction of in an effort to maintain the play alive. As Hiirikoski made a transfer in the direction of the puck, so too did Rigsby, and the ensuing collision afforded Nieminen, who jumped on the unfastened puck, sufficient room to pot what was seemingly the game-winning aim.
Instantly after the obvious aim – and whereas the Finns flooded the ice, ditching their tools and dog-piling Nieminen in celebration – Rigsby motioned to the official that she had been interfered with in her try and make the save. What adopted was a painstakingly lengthy evaluate of Nieminen’s tally. After a number of minutes, throughout which era the Finns huddled arm in arm awaiting the decision, officers disallowed Nieminen’s marker, as an alternative giving Finland an influence play for what was dominated to be a visit by Rigsby on Hiirikoski through the collision.
And Finland would come no nearer to gold than that second. Via the rest of extra time, the Finns would check Rigsby whereas Group USA continued to pelt Noora Raty with pucks. Neither goaltender would budge all through the rest of extra time, and with a shootout wanted to resolve the proceedings, the Individuals acquired objectives from Amanda Kessel and Annie Pankowski – who scored USA’s lone regulation aim – whereas Minnamari Tuominen scored Finland’s solely aim within the shootout. Susanna Tapani, who scored the tying aim for Finland late within the second interval, had an opportunity to maintain the shootout alive, however her tried transfer was denied by Rigsby, who clinched a fifth consecutive World Championship gold for Group USA.
Regardless of the heartbreaking outcome, Raty was past sensible as soon as once more, stopping 50 photographs to maintain Finland deadlocked with USA all through the affair. Rigsby was additionally unbelievable, permitting one aim on 27 photographs by means of regulation and extra time.
For Finland, who had gained World Championship bronze a dozen occasions, the silver marks the primary second-place end in event historical past. In the meantime, USA celebrates five-straight gold medals on the occasion and have stood atop the rostrum at 9 of the previous 11 World Championships.
CANADA BLASTS RUSSIA IN BRONZE MEDAL GAMEIn the aftermath of Saturday’s gorgeous defeat by the hands of Finland, Canada entered the bronze medal recreation towards Russia trying to make sure a spot on the rostrum and refused to undergo one other upset in a once-close recreation that turned a rout late.
In a contest that wasn’t whilst shut because the lopsided 7-Zero scoreline suggests, the Canadians discovered the board for the primary time six minutes into the opening body when Natalie Spooner pulled a puck unfastened from a scrum alongside the boards, swooped behind the Russian aim and stuffed house a wraparound try. The one-goal lead was doubled earlier than the primary interval was by means of, too, with Jamie Bourbonnais firing house a blast from the highest of the circles with lower than 5 minutes left.
Russia, thanks largely to keeper Nadezhda Morozova, managed to maintain the rating tight by means of the second body, nevertheless. Regardless of being wildly outplayed by Canada – out-shot to the tune of 19-Three after 40 minutes – Russia solely entered the ultimate interval down Three-Zero, the Canadians getting their third tally of the night time from Rebecca Johnston.
Sadly, the wheels got here off for Russia within the third and the powerhouse Canadians iced the competition with a four-spot within the last 20 minutes. The scoring within the third was bookended by World Championship rookie Loren Gabel, whose objectives three minutes into the body and with 5 minutes remaining have been separated by Jamie Rattray and Erin Ambrose tallies. In the meantime. Canadian goaltender Genevieve Lacasse was excellent on the night time, stopping all six photographs Russia mustered within the third-place recreation.
With the win, Canada took house bronze and medalled for the 19th consecutive World Championship. This marks the primary time because the introduction of the World Championship in 1990 that Canada’s senior group has failed to complete with a minimum of a silver medal at a significant worldwide competitors.
THREE STARS:1. Noora Raty, 50 saves (FIN) – Excellent efficiency gave f2. Annie Pankowski, 1G (USA) – USA’s lone aim scorer in regulation fired house shootout winner3. Loren Gabel, 2G (CAN) – Closed first World Championship with two-goal efficiency to assist Canada to bronze
Need extra in-depth options, evaluation and an All-Entry go to the most recent content material? Subscribe to The Hockey Information journal.
Tags: worldwide hockey, girls’s hockeyConnect: In regards to the AuthorJared ClintonJared Clinton is a author and internet editor with The Hockey Information. He is been with the group since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, the place he may be discovered lacking the web on out of doors rinks throughout city.