Germany stun USA late to book final with Canada at ice hockey worlds

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 semi-finals. 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 euqualized 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 semi-final.

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 US ahead 3-2 on a rebound midway through the second period.

The US 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.