Toronto, ON (Sportsbooks) - Shane Doan's goal in the first minute of the third period proved to be the game winner, as Canada captured the 2004 World Cup of Hockey with a 3-2 victory over Finland at Air Canada Centre.
Scott Niedermayer and Joe Sakic also scored for Canada, which went undefeated in six games to capture another major international hockey title after winning the Olympic gold medal in 2002.
Martin Brodeur, the two-time reigning Vezina Trophy winner, stood tall in goal and stopped 27 shots to lead the Canadians, who needed an overtime tally from Vincent Lecavalier to beat the Czech Republic in Saturday's semifinal round.
Riku Hahl and Tuomo Ruutu each scored for Finland, which ousted the defending champion United States to reach the final but fell short to Team Canada, which never trailed in the entire tournament.
Miikka Kiprusoff, who led the Calgary Flames to within one win of a Stanley Cup title in June, allowed three goals on 33 shots in the losing effort.
After the Finns knotted the contest late in the second frame, Doan notched the game-winning goal on a pass from Joe Thornton just 34 seconds into the final session. The disc sat on the back boards and Thornton spotted Doan near the left post. Doan took control, waited out Kiprusoff, and used his long wingspan to reach around and tuck it home at the far post only 34 seconds into the period.
The Finns had several chances to find the equalizer, but could not solve Brodeur, who finished the World Cup with a minute 1.00 goals-against average, allowing just five goals on 129 shots throughout.
At the 12-minute mark, Ruutu had an opportunity on an odd man rush, but shot wide. In the waning minutes, Kiprusoff was pulled in favor of the extra skater, but it was not be as time expired and Canada held on for the win.
Captain Mario Lemieux was handed the trophy, which was formerly the Canada Cup before the tourney took on its current mantra starting in 1996. Lemieux is no stranger to the Canada/World Cup, as the all-time great finished off the then-Soviets with a late goal in the 1987 finals.
With two goals and five assists, Lecavalier, who won Lord Stanley's Cup just 100 days ago, took home the Most Valuable Player trophy.
Finland ended 4-1-1 over its six-game run in the tournament, which is most likely the last hockey with National Hockey League players that will take place for quite some time. The NHL and its players union are very far apart in their current labor talks. The current collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight on Wednesday.
Sakic put the Canadians on the board just 52 seconds after the opening faceoff. Lemieux took control down the left-wing side and slid a cross-ice pass for Sakic, whose one-timer from the low slot beat Kiprusoff for a 1-0 lead.
The Finns tied it up with 13:26 to go in the first on a great deflection by Hahl. The puck sat at the left point and came across the blue line to defenseman Toni Lydman, who released a low slapshot. Hahl had his stick in the perfect flat position and the disc changed direction past Brodeur.
The teams again traded goals in the middle session.
First, Niedermayer's wrister from the left circle at the 3:15 mark put Canada ahead. The New Jersey Devils' stalwart blueliner found the five-hole and put the Canadians up 2-1.
However, with exactly one minute left before the second intermission, Ruutu brought Finland even with an amazing individual effort. He picked up the puck in the neutral zone and flew down the right half-wall. Ruutu then flipped the puck off the boards around Simon Gagne and deked Niedermayer before moving in on Brodeur and beating him with a wrister from inside the circle.
