Team Canada goaltender Michael DiPietro left everything he had on the ice in a 2-1 overtime loss to Finland at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championships in Vancouver.
Both teams went back to the dressing room scorless after a first period that saw Finland outshoot Canada 11-7.
Defensemen Ian Mitchell snuck into the right slot to beat Finland goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen high on the glove side to kick-off the second period and take a 1-0 lead.
Ian Mitchell (@DU_Hockey) scores his first of the tournament to put ???? up by one early in the second! #CANvsFIN #REPRESENT #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/IDXLJQFlAs
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2019
The crowd and the rest of Team Canada got behind DiPietro from then on, chanting his name throughout a gutsy performance that saw Finland pour it on.
Emotional moment for the DiPietro parents as the crowd chants the @Canucks prospect's name for a stellar performance between the pipes for . #REPRESENT #CANvsFIN #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/p7L7dno5tq
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2019
Finland finally beat the Amherstburg native with just 46-seconds left in the third, Eeli Tolvanen banked a shot off Aleksi Heponiemi from behind the net that slipped past DiPietro to tie things up 1-1 to send things to OT.
????'s Eeli Tolvanen (@mkeadmirals) gets his first of the tournament and ties it with 46.4 to play! #CANvsFIN #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/3SVGHaBewg
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2019
Overtime almost came to a quick end when a hooking penalty gave Canada's Maxime Comtois a chance to win it on a penalty shot just minutes into the frame, but Luukkonen shut the door.
's Maxime Comtois is denied by 's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on the penalty shot. #CANvsFIN #WorldJuniors #REPRESENT pic.twitter.com/Q15GFGyP77
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2019
Canada would have several more chances to put the game away but failed to solve Luukkonen.
Bad luck would continue to follow Team Canada to end the game after a broken stick on a wide open Finnish net turned into an odd man rush the other way.
Toni Utunen beat DiPietro above the left shoulder on a shot that was deflected in the slot for a 2-1 overtime win.
Toni Utunen (@Tapparaofficial) ends it in OT for ????to eliminate ????.#CANvsFIN #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/fSHRtxmqee
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2019
DiPietro was named player of the game after turning away 32-34 shots he faced — the crowd continued to chant the former Windsor Spitfires' name after the game despite being eliminated from the tournament.
Finland outshot Canada 34-25
It's the first time Canada hasn't secured a medal as host of the World Junior Championships.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, ???? fans chant for their goalie's fantastic performance. #CANvsFIN #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/wxcAZVn8oj
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2019