Germany beats US in OT, reaches hockey world final vs. Canada

TAMPERE, Finland — Germany scored a late equalizer and then upset the United States in overtime Saturday to set up a final against Canada at ice hockey world championship.

Frederik Tiffels scored with 2:28 left in overtime to give Germany a 4-3 win over the Americans in the semifinals. Earlier, teenage forward Adam Fantilli scored the go-ahead goal as Canada edged Latvia 4-2 in the other semi.

Germany reached the final for the first time since 1992, when the playoff format was introduced at the world championship.

The Germans pulled goaltender Mathias Niederberger when they were 3-2 down late in the third period and Marcel Noebels equalized with a backhand shot with 1:23 remaining to force overtime.

Alex Touch and Rocco Grimaldi had given the Americans a 2-0 lead less than four minutes into the semifinal.

The Germans replied with the goals from Frederik Tiffels and Maksymilian Szuber still in the opening period to make it 2-2.

Michael Eyssimont put the U.S. ahead 3-2 on a rebound midway through the second period.

The U.S. outshot the Germans 33-26.

The 18-year-old Fantilli, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the NHL draft, fooled a defenseman before netting his first goal of the tournament with 11:04 to go as Canada took a 3-2 lead.

“I got the pass from (Milan) Lucic. I was in the middle of a one-on-one and tried to make a move and ended up getting a shooting opportunity and it ended up going in,” Fantilli said. “I’m really happy about it.”

Samuel Blais, Jack Quinn and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada, whose goaltender Samuel Montembeault made 20 saves.

Canada had to twice come from a goal down to reach its fourth straight final.

Dans Locmelis scored 8:18 into the game on a rebound to put tournament co-host Latvia 1-0 ahead.

Blais one-timed a shot to the roof of Latvia’s goal with 4:28 to go in the middle period for his fourth goal at the tournament to tie the score at 1-1.

Rudolfs Balcers restored the lead for Latvia from the left circle only 1:06 later in the frame.

Quinn leveled 45 seconds into the final period when his shot was deflected into the net from the mask of goaltender Arturs Silovs.