Canada Eliminates China to Advance to Quarterfinals

Canada will play Sweden in the quarterfinals after beating China 7-2 in men's Olympic hockey action on Tuesday.

Canada will play Sweden in the quarterfinals after beating China 7-2 in men's Olympic hockey action on Tuesday.

Canada finished its two-game stand against China with a 10-2 goal advantage. Canada will meet with Sweden in a rematch of the 2014 Olympic gold medal game, while China will finish its tournament early with high hopes for the future after scoring four times in the tournament and keeping games within reach.

The first period was more eventful than Canada likely hoped for. By the fourth minute, Canada had already surrendered two breakaways and a penalty shot attempt by Spencer Foo, which Matt Tomkins ultimately stopped. 

But at 6:57, Canada would see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Jordan Weal scored after Adam Tambellini found him to the right of the Chinese net all alone and he wasted no time burying it in. He then scored a similar goal on another power play at 9:55, this time thanks to Eric Staal after he himself got a pass from Tambellini. 

China was having a hard time with Matt Tomkins looking sharp in the Canadian net, but at 15:32, Cory Kane scored in close to get China's third goal of the tournament and a bit of life heading into the second period. 

But China was dealt a rough blow heading into the middle stanza. Goalie Jeremy Smith, the backbone of the team, was pulled out of the game after injuring his right leg after reacting to a shot at the end of the period. Smith was taken on a stretcher out of the arena for further evaluation and was replaced by Paris O'Brien. 

Unfortunately for China, the goals kept coming. Tambellini scored on the man advantage after he fanned on his shot, but it deflected off of Jake Chelios and in for the 3-1 goal. Then, two minutes later, he scored his second goal and fourth point of the night on a penalty shot, only for Eric O'Dell to tip in a Jason Demers shot at 12:05 to make it 5-1. 

China wouldn't escape without something to cheer about, though, as Kane scored his second of the night on the power play to make it 5-2. But Eric Staal and Jack McBain both scored their first goals of the tournament late in the game to finish off the 7-2 victory.