MINSK, Belarus -- From a disallowed goal to a penalty kill in the final minutes, Team Canada didnt enjoy a lot of easy moments in beating Norway 3-2. But thats exactly how coach Dave Tippett wanted it, as his team got the regulation victory it needed Tuesday to finish first in Group A at the world hockey championship. "We played well, and I like that we got pushed right to the end," Tippett said. "If it wouldve been a 5-1 or 6-1 game, maybe you get into bad habits, you just kind of float through it. This pushed us as a team, and the harder you get pushed as a team the better you get in a short amount of time. I like the fact that we won the game, obviously, but I like the fact that it was a close game." It was close because Norway took the lead, and then Canada had a would-be goal by Kevin Bieksa waved off for goaltender interference because Jonathan Huberdeau had his stick in the crease. And it remained close even after Joel Ward scored the second of his two goals, the eventual game winner, midway through the third because Norway didnt go away. Canada outshot Norway 42-16 and only beat goaltender Steffen Soberg three times, on Wards two on the power play and Mark Scheifeles at even strength. Meanwhile, James Reimer gave up goals to Anders Bastiansen and Mads Hansen that came about from defensive miscues but still improved to 3-0-1 in the tournament. "This is one of those games where you really just have to grind it out and battle because they protect so well, they collapse so well, and sometimes you just pass the puck around the outside but you cant really get to the good scoring areas," Reimer said. "I think were just happy to grind this one out." Canada, which finished the preliminary round with 18 points and a 6-0-1 record, will face Finland in Group B in the quarter-final round Thursday. Along the way, the Canadians outscored opponents 28-13, and their only blemish was a shootout loss to France. Tippett seemed pleased with his teams progression to this point. "Most of our players didnt play for three weeks and as you get back into game shape, your game starts to elevate," he said. "Every game our players continue to pick up a step." Finishing first in the group assured Canada of avoiding powerhouse Russia until a potential gold-medal game Sunday. The United States, led by Tyler Johnson and Seth Jones, could wind up on Canadas side of the bracket, pending the result of Russia-Belarus on Tuesday night. The chance to pass Sweden for first place almost slipped away Tuesday against Norway at Chizhovka-Arena. Canada fell behind on a power-play goal by Bastiansen and then had to overcome some frustration later in the first. It looked like Bieksa scored a power-play goal at the 15:01 mark, but it was waved off apparently because Huberdeau had his stick in the crease. Tippett said the referee wouldnt come over to explain the decision, which seemed to stem from the IIHF rule that an attacking player cannot have even his stick blade in the crease when the puck goes into the net. "I didnt think my skate was in the crease. I guess it was the stick," Huberdeau said. "I dont know the call, but it was the call and you cant do anything. Its not a big deal." It wouldve been a much bigger deal had it cost Canada the chance to win in regulation. But with seven power plays, including five after Bieksas goal was disallowed, there were plenty of opportunities to keep it from being the reason for a loss. "We were not going to let one call ruin the whole day for us," said Ward, who now has six goals and is tied with teammate Cody Hodgson and Frances Antoine Roussel for second in the tournament behind Russias Viktor Tikhonov. Canada managed to grind away at Norway enough, and Tippett had special praise for the fourth line of Ward, Scheifele and Sean Monahan. "We had lots of opportunities, but (the Norwegians) kept the game very tight," Tippett said. "They did a good job penalty-killing against us, and I was proud of our guys to just keep pushing, not get frustrated and hopefully wed find the chances we needed to win." Once they did, the Canadians could start to look ahead to elimination play. "Get some playoffs going here," Reimer said. "To get going to the quarter-finals here, I think were jelling well as a team. We have some good chemistry. Hopefully things bode well in the playoffs." NOTES -- Alex Burrows missed his second straight game with a charley horse suffered in a knee-on-knee hit Friday against Italy. Tippett said he skated each of the past two days, would practise with the team the next time it was on the ice and would be ready to play in Thursdays quarter-final game. ... Reimer approached Soberg, who made 39 saves on 42 shots, after the game to ask why he wasnt playing in the NHL. Soberg was a 2011 fourth-round pick of the Washington Capitals and refused to come to North America to play for the WHLs Swift Current Broncos, opting instead to continue playing in Norway. The Capitals lost Sobergs rights last summer, making him an NHL free agent. Marquise Brown Ravens Jersey . -- New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has no concerns about the health of shortstop Derek Jeter, who was limited to 17 games last season due to leg injuries. Iman Marshall Ravens Jersey . Wiggins, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward who plays his first exhibition game on Wednesday against Pitt State, was the top prospect in the class of 2013. http://www.cheapravensshoponline.com/You...-ravens-jersey/. - Maynor Figueroa headed in a late goal to give Honduras a 1-1 draw with the United States in an international friendly Tuesday. Ben Powers Jersey . The trade deadline is Monday, Mar. 2 at 3pm et/Noon pt. TRADES COMPLETED SINCE OCT. 1, 2014: Feb. 15, 2015 Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: F Olli Jokinen, F Brendan Leipsic, 1st Round Pick (2015) Nashville Predators acquire: D Cody Franson, F Mike Santorelli Feb. Ray Lewis Youth Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi Kerry, I think theres a significant flaw in the NHLs instant replay process - or perhaps you have an explanation Im not aware of? During the Leafs/Kings game Monday night, L.A. scored an early goal. It wasnt clear that the puck crossed the line, so the play continued on. At the next stoppage, they went upstairs, and it was quickly called a good goal because it clearly crossed the line. However, if you watch the replay of the goal, Marian Gaborik circles into Berniers crease and obstructs Berniers ability to slide left and stop the Anze Kopitar shot. He was standing in the middle of the crease well before the puck crossed the line. At the point in time the puck crossed the line, the ref wasnt aware it crossed the line and the play continued. Therefore, there was no need to wave the goal off due to goalie interference. When the play went for review, all the boys in the War Room looked for was the puck crossing the line. In actuality, the puck did cross the line, but the goal should have been disallowed due to goalie interference. And because the War Room cant look at goalie interference, the wrong call had to be made. Another conspiracy call against the Leafs in L.A. or am I just missing something? Craig Dalziel Craig: You havent missed a thing as evidenced by your excellent observation and well prepared question. The correct decision made within the allowable criteria and capability of the video review process to determine a good goal on this play reinforces my ongoing publicly stated position that the referees must be allowed to personally review potential goals where there is any suspicion that a violation of goalkeeper interference had occurred. Even though play continued for approximately 45 seconds after Anze Kopitar fired an undetected rocket under the crossbar for a potential goal, one or all of the officials on the ice could have determined, (perhaps through reflective hindsight) that Marian Gaborik had maintained a significant presence and initiated contact with Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier prior to the shot. They might have even determined that Bernier was unable to move freely about his crease as a result of Gaboriks intrusion and contact inside the blue paint. The time lapse thhat resulted could have contributed to a foggy recollection of the play by the officials.dddddddddddd. Perhaps the fact that it all happened very quickly in real time just might have caused them to miss the potential goalie interference. The fact remains, if they had detected the incidental contact on what they thought was of no consequence at the time of an undetected goal, nothing prevented the referee(s) from disallowing that goal as a result of goalkeeper interference once video review informed them that the puck had in fact entered the net. For whatever reason the call was missed on the ice in the moment, if the referee(s) had the opportunity to review a play of this nature my best guess is they just might have disallowed the potential goal. As we know, goalie interference is the on-ice officials call to make. Most often, they could surely use the benefit of video replay to make this very difficult call correctly. Lets not be too quick to cast blame on the referees however. They want the authority and ability to review goalie interference. It just hasnt been granted to them at this point. As we more closely examine this play Craig, Bernier set himself at the right side post in a butterfly position and then chose to flop as he moved across the crease prior to the contact initiated by Gaborik. Some might suggest that Bernier put himself in a position where he would not have been able to make the save on Kopitars shot regardless of any interference created by Gaborik. While we could debate that distinct possibility, rule 69.3 clearly states that if an attacking player initiates contact with a goalkeeper, incidental or otherwise, while the goalkeeper is in his goal crease, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed. 69.1 also provides that goals should be disallowed only if an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeepers ability to move freely within his crease and defend his goal. Gaborik entered the crease willingly and not through contact with Leafs Captain Dion Phaneuf. By his positioning (significant presence inside the crease) and contact, Gaborik impaired Berniers ability to move freely within his crease and defend his goal. I have to believe that, upon further review, most referees would determine that a violation of rule 69 had resulted and the good goal would be overturned with a call at ice level. ' ' '