Winter Olympics 2010: Canada survive to book ice hockey final against United States

Bystaff and agencies Published: 10:00AM GMT twenty-seven February 2010

You got it: Canadian fans had their instruct postulated as the Olympic hosts positive a North American strife in the ice hockey last Photo: GETTY IMAGES

The undefeated Americans had progressing roared in to the last with a 6-1 drop of Finland in the opening semi-final.

"We"re in the final," relieved Canada manager Mike Babcock told reporters. "You competence find this difficult to hold but it doesn"t make a difference to me who we"re playing."

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Canada looked in journey carry out themselves with a 3-0 third-period lead that changed the red-jerseyed mob to fill Canada Hockey Place with chants of "We Want USA, We Want USA".

Slovakia had their own instruct list in mind, scoring dual goals and ascent a mad last-minute conflict that Canada goalie Roberto Luongo bravely detered for a 3-2 feat that ensured a North American scuffle for bullion on Sunday.

"You"ve got to give them credit. they didn"t quit," Canada brazen Jarome Iginla told reporters. "It was certain great to see that buzzer go off."

The ardent Canadian fans of the inhabitant diversion concluded and once their breath returned, their "USA" intone resumed.

Canada"s usually loss in the competition was by 5-3 opposite the Americans, who were outshot 2-to-1 but prevailed interjection to the shining goaltending of Ryan Miller.

"They got a immature group over there and their goaltender has been outstanding," Babcock said.

"I"ve pronounced the most appropriate goalie regularly creates you shaken and I think that child has been unequivocally great for them."

Babcock pronounced he prime what he saw from his players during the initial 51:35 of the diversion opposite Slovakia when they scored dual goals on deflections and an additional on a miscarry as they tranquil the puck and played difficult inside.

"I thought we had tons of chances on Miller last time we played them but we didn"t have sufficient second chances and sufficient deflections. We didn"t work difficult enough," Babcock said.

"You have to be peaceful to get on the inside."

Babcock pronounced he did not see the bullion award competition as a "Dream Game" but referred to it competence be the approach of the future.

"The Russian thing was really sparkling only since that"s who we grew up meditative about all the time," he said.

"The U.S.-Canada thing is a reality. I think you"re going to see a lot of this in the future. They have a great immature team, they"re rolling. They only dejected the alternative group today. They contingency be the prime going in," he said, sketch laughs in his headlines conference.