1SW 4:3 1CA | Sweden2 - Canada2 (Hlinka Gretzky Cup)

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

USA – Russia	4:2 (end)	\|	Sweden2 – Canada2	4:3 (end)	\|	Slovakia2 – Finland	1:5 (end)
Czech Republic – Switzerland	4:3 (2:0 after SO)

final

Sweden2

4:3 (2:1, 1:0, 1:2)

Canada2

Tuesday 06.08.2013, 15:30 • Hlinka Gretzky Cup

		Well, what to make of that game . . . a wild, chippy affair between Canada and Sweden. Canada started well and played a strong third period, but from about the six minute mark until the end of the second period, Sweden owned it and was deserving of the victory. The Swedish win puts them into a three-way tie with Canada and Switzerland with 3 points each, but that will end next game--either Switzerland will take over sole possession of 1st place in the group or the Czechs will win in regulation and make it a four-way tie. That game coming up from Breclav at 19:00 CEST. (17:55:16)
		Players of the Game: CAN Sam Bennett, SWE Jesper Eriksson (who is obviously unable to accept the award).
		Canada moved the puck around in that last sequence but didn't manage to get a shot. Predictably we have a fair bit of pushing and shoving now after the final horn.
	60:00	Game over.
	59:29	Timeout Canada.
	59:29	Icing Sweden. The Canadian net is empty and we're five skaters on five.
	59:18	Hickets low shot from the point, pad save Soderstrom.
	58:55	Offside Canada on the stretch pass attempt. They're taking Billia off the ice to make it 5 skaters on 5.
	58:47	The Swedish player is Gustav Franzen and he's helped off the ice.
	58:47	There's a collision in the Swedish zone, the Swedish player is down and Spencer Watson is getting a major penalty and a game misconduct for kneeing.
	58:35	Sweden at full strength, play in Sweden zone, Billia still on the ice.
	58:00	We're into the last 2 minutes and Canada is on the power play.
	57:28	A slow Canadian change gives Robin Kovacs a path to the net down the left wing. He takes a slap shot on Billia who holds on.
	56:46	Puck deflected out of play in the Swedish zone with :48 left in Watson's penalty and 1:45 in the Swedish bench minor.
	56:31	And a really sloppy Swedish line change results in a bench minor and takes them off the power play. The player leaving the ice played the puck with his replacement right beside him. We're now at 4 on 4.
	55:34	The penalty parade continues as Spencer Watson is called for tripping in the neutral zone. Sweden will try to put this one away now, while Canada needs a kill.
	55:17	Dangerous high shot from the point by Hicketts is deflected just wide by Point.
	55:09	Icing Sweden. It went high along the boards and the Swedes think it touched someone on the Canadian bench. There's a discussion but the icing stands.
	54:30	Virtanen sends a tricky shot toward the front of the net while Soderstrom appeared screened, but it hit him and went to the corner.
	53:24	Another offside against Canada, but Fabbri doesn't like the call and has words with the linesman. He's not going to win this argument.
	52:36	Another offside against Canada.
	52:19	Offside Canada.
	52:05	Big slapper from Englund, directed to the corner by Billia.
	51:30	We're back to 5 on 5, play in the neutral zone . . .
	50:59	Offside Sweden. :29 left in the offsetting penalties.
	49:28	More pressure from Canada and another Swedish penalty coming, but in the ensuing melee Canada is also getting a penalty. For Sweden it's Lagesson for interference and for Canada it's Lemieux for roughing. 4 on 4.
	49:04	Canada buzzing now, Aaron Ekblad the shot on the rush, Soderstrom with the nice save.
	48:01	Goal for Team Canada! Canada buzzing on the power play and Sweden understandably flat, surely shaken by the injury to their goalie. SPENCER WATSON scores the goal. Assists: Jake Virtanen, Sam Bennett.
	46:51	So a cold Linus Soderstrom is now the Swedish goalie and Canada is going to the power play. This could be a key turning point in the game.
	13:09	The arena is silent right now as Swedish goaltender Jesper Eriksson is still down on the ice. He's now being put onto the stretcher and will presumably be taken to hospital.
	46:51	They're bringing a stretcher onto the ice, so this is quite serious. It looks like a head injury. Unfortunately we don't have the benefit of replay here.
	46:51	Gustav Frosling is getting the penalty for tripping, which I can only assume is what sent the Canadian player into Eriksson. It's looking more and more like Eriksson is leaving this game. Linus Soderstrom is on the ice and stretching and Eriksson is still on his back.
	46:51	A collision in the Swedish goal crease and goaltender Jesper Eriksson is down and seems to be in considerable pain. The Swedish penalty gate is open, not Canada's.
	46:09	Goal for Team Sweden! And the Swedes answer right back on the power play with a beautiful wrister from MICHAL NYLANDER ALTELIUS--perhaps Sweden's best player yesterday but has seen limited action today. Assists: Anton Karlsson, Rasmus Andersson.
	45:29	Just after scoring, Sam Bennett takes a tripping penalty in the attacking zone and Canada will have to kill off a penalty.
	43:54	Goal for Team Canada! They finally put it in. Watson had a chance on a wraparound but it wouldn't go, but finally SAM BENNETT puts it in on the power play. Assist: Spencer Watson
	43:12	Big slap shot from Watson, right on Eriksson the save and he holds it.
	42:56	Sweden's Rasmus Andersson is called for tripping in his own zone. I've lost track of how many power play chances this is for Canada but it's been a lot.
	42:31	Icing Sweden.
	41:40	Sweden's brief power play is over, play in the Canadian zone.
	40:30	Just as the Swedish penalty ends and Sweden heads to the power play, Robby Fabbri sends a nice pass to a streaking Roland McKeown, who's one-timer is stopped by the stick of Jesper Eriksson.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		Teams are returning to the ice and the 3rd period will begin shortly.
		This game has been downright ugly at times but Sweden seems to be firmly in the driver's seat at this point, up 3-1 after two periods. Billia has been fanstastic since taking over in the Canadian goal and Eriksson has been an imposing figure in the Swedish net. 3rd period begins at 17:08 CEST, 11:08 EDT.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:58	Canadian 2-on-1 in the dying seconds, Spencer Bishop shoots but Jesper Eriksson with the pad save in the dying seconds.
	39:37	So much for the Canadian power play as they're called for too many players on the ice. Barring more penalties we'll finish the period 4 on 4.
	38:47	Swedish shorthanded 2-on-1, Robin Kovacs shoots and Billia catches it. Billia then tries to put the puck back into play for a counter-attack but play is stopped.
	38:29	Canada going to the power play again as Andreas Englund gets called for kneeing.
	37:59	Swedes continue to buzz, puck comes to Adrian Kempe who tries to go upstairs on Billia but he gets an arm on it and knocks it out of play.
	37:17	Icing Sweden.
	36:42	Swedes with a big chance shorthanded. They iced the puck on the kill and Karlsson beat everyone to it and found an open man in front, Billia had to be big.
	36:01	Eriksson covers the puck and we've got more pushing and shoving, but no penalties it seems. :53 left in the Canadian PP.
	35:53	The puck goes out of play with 1:01 left in the penalty. Faceoff in the Swedish zone.
	35:36	The puck got behind Eriksson and stopped inches from the goal line but no Canadian could get their stick on it, finally a Swedish stick swipes it away.
	34:54	Shot from the point by Brayden Point, save Eriksson. Sweden's Andreas Englund is getting an interference penalty on the play. Canada to the power play.
	34:06	Icing Canada.
	33:15	Shot from Kempe, Billia holds onto it. It's been almost all Sweden this period.
	33:00	Big kill for Canada and they start out . . .
	32:35	Forsling rips a shot wide late in the power play.
	31:45	Offside Canada.
	30:53	Sweden going back to the power play as Roland McKeown is called for elbowing.
	30:22	Just as Canada gets back to full strength Robby Fabbri with a great effort carrying the puck to the net, beats two defenceman but can't get the puck over Eriksson.
	29:59	Shot from the point hits a body in front and goes out of play. Faceoff inside with :20 left in the Swedish power play.
	29:20	Sweden now to the power play.
	29:00	Now play goes quickly the other way and Billia makes the save. :11 left in the Sweden penalty and then Swedes to the power play for 1:08.
	28:49	Daniel Audette with a shot off the rush that hits a stick and deflects into Eriksson's chest. Almost not worth mentioning the pushing and shoving after.
	28:19	This game getting ugly. Canada's Sam Bennett is called for slashing, which takes his team off the power play. We'll play 4 on 4 for :52.
	27:45	Spencer Watson cuts out of the corner and tries to stuff it in, Eriksson stops that and another shot.
	27:00	Of all that the only call is holding against Johansson, as he was down and had a hold of Fabbri's leg before Fabbri responded. Canada to the power play.
	27:00	Sweden's Emil Johansson runs Robby Fabbri from behind, and then across the ice it looks like Fabbri cross-checks Johansson in the face. The Canadian bench is furious. Let's see how this is decided.
	26:30	Sweden all over Canada at this point, Oskar Lindblom with the one-timer on a rush and Billia forced to make another save. He's much busier today in relief than he was yesterday.
	25:32	Another Swedish shot and another glove save for Billia.
	25:24	Swedes buzzing again, Anton Karlsson on the off wing with a shot that Billia gloves and holds.
	24:47	Adrian Kempe steps out of the box and gets a partial break, good defensive play by Ekblad forces a shot that hits Billia in the chest and he freezes it.
	24:13	Point to Bennett, who fires a one-timer high and wide.
	23:15	Ekblad across to Fleury at the other point, hits the base of the outside of the net with a hard slapper. Ekblad dangerous when shooting or passing from the point.
	22:12	Quick shot from the point is caught and held by Eriksson.
	22:41	Low wrister from the point from Bennett is gloved by Eriksson and now we've got Kempe and Bennett getting into it after the whistle. Bennett goes down and Kempe is getting the only penalty on the play. Canada to the power play, and they really need to get something going offensively now.
	21:30	Play is stopped as the puck was under a pile of players in the corner. Faceoff stays in the Canadian zone.
	21:18	Puck out of play in the Canadian zone, faceoff inside.
	21:01	Goal for Team Sweden! A scramble around the Canadian goal and a clearing attempt lands on the stick of KEVIN ELGESTAL, who pots his second of the game. Unassisted.
	20:13	Another physicla start to the period as Forsling hammers Bishop in the corner in the numbers--surprised there's no boarding call.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		Teams are back on the ice and the 2nd period will start shortly.
		After a fast start, that quickly became a forgettable period for Canada, as Sweden scored twice 1:50 apart to erase an early deficit, and after that did not give Canada many chances. 2nd period begins at 16:15 CEST, 10:15 EDT.
		As happened throughout the period, more players jawing at each other after the final horn, with Sweden's Adrian Kempe in the middle of it. Nothiing major comes of it.
	20:00	1st period finished.
	18:50	Nice effort from Robby Fabbri, who cuts out from the corner and tries to stuff it in the short side but Eriksson gives him no room.
	18:07	Canada having trouble getting out of their own zone and finally get called for icing.
	16:42	Swedish top line gets 3 on 1, which ends with a shot from Adrian Kempe but Julio Billia makes a big save, play continues and he makes another save and gets a stoppage this time.
	16:05	Offside Sweden, couldn't hold it in at the point.
	15:58	A long sequence without any shots finishes with a big slapper from the point from Gustav Forsling. I think Billia didn't know where it was but it was in his equipment and play was finally stopped. We're getting players coming together after virtually every whistle.
	13:52	Canada keeps the pressure up after the penalty ends, Audette and Dal Colle whack away at it but Eriksson finally covers, and we get more words exchanged after the whistle.
	13:29	Offside Canada with :17 seconds left in the power play.
	12:28	Puck worked around to Bennet, but the big Swedish goalkeeper gives him nothing to shoot at and takes it in the chest.
	11:56	They get called for icing on a missed pass 10 seconds in however. Canada will have to start from their own end.
	11:46	After teams go back to even strength, Sweden's Rasmus Andersson is called for slashing in the attacking zone. Canada gets it's first chance on the power play, which was deadly yesterday.
	11:09	Icing Sweden.
	10:10	Canadian rush into the Sweden zone, wrister from Virtanen, blocker save Eriksson.
	09:28	Offside Sweden. Now Roland McKeown and Robin Kovacs exchange words and shove each other after the whistle and the referee sends them both to the box for roughing. We'll play 4-on-4.
	08:07	Goal for Team Sweden! Mad scramble in front of the Canadian goal, Billia made two saves but nobody could clear the puck and the goalie was down and out as KEVIN ELGESTAL went upstairs with it. Assist: Dmytro Timashov.
	06:17	Goal for Team Sweden! They tie the game on the rush. ROBIN KOVACS crosses the blueline down the right wing and unleashes a deadly wrist shot that beats Billia inside the post. Assist: Daniel Muzito Bagenda.
	05:20	Sweden doesn't really threaten on that power play, the puck is iced to kill the remaining time.
	03:19	Just off the faceoff after the goal, Michael Dal Colle is called for hooking in the neutral zone, and he exchanges words with a Swede after the whistle. Sweden to the power play.
	03:14	Goal for Team Canada! Over-anxious to play the body, it seems the Swedish defence took their eye off JARED McCANN in the slot. Brendan Lemieux won a battle for the puck along the boards and found him in front. McCann made a nifty move to avoid a poke check and backanded it in. Assists: Brendan Lemieux, Daniel Audette.
	02:20	Jayce Hawryluk of Canada gets the game's first shot, a high wrister but Eriksson gave him no room, play continues.
	02:00	No shots yet but too many hits on both sides to mention. The gathering of a few hundred here are really into it.
	00:20	Physical start to this game: Canada's Sam Bennett and Sweden's Gustav Franzen both throw big hits along the boards on the opening shift.
	00:01	Game started.
		The national anthems of Canada and Sweden are complete and the opening faceoff is moments away.
		Canada and Sweden take the ice, both get ovations from groups of fans. The national anthems are next.
		Starting Lineups: Sweden: Eriksson (Söderström) -- Aho, Lagesson – Englund, Ollas Mattsson – Andersson, Johansson – Forsling, Timashov -- Lindblom, Franzen, Kempe – Olofsson, F. Karlsson, Kovacs – Tornqvist, Holmström, Elgestal – Nylander Altelius, Muzito Bagenda, A. Karlsson (C). Canada: Billia (McDonald) -- Hicketts, Ekblad (C) – Fleury, McKeown – Neill, Pilon – Carrier -- Bennett, Watson, Point – Dal Colle, Fabbri, Virtanen – Chartier, Bishop, Hawryluk – Lemieux, Audette, McCann – Pépin. Referees: Hribík, Šír – Hlavatý, Tošenovjan.
		Good afternoon to those of you in Europe, and good morning to our followers in North America. It's another hot day in Breclav, Czech Republic, and a thin layer of fog covers the ice as Sweden and Canada begin pre-game warmups, but that will hopefully dissipate before the game starts. Sweden lost their opening game of the tournament yesterday to Switzerland 3-2, so they'll hope to bounce back today. Canada beat the Czech Republic 4-0 in the nightcap, and they would all but assure themselves a spot in the quarterfinals with another win today. Sweden is the designated home team for this game and is wearing their traditional yellow uniforms with blue trim, blue pants and helmets. Canada, the visiting team, is wearing primarily red uniforms with white trim, black pants and helmets. Jesper Eriksson stopped 36 of 39 shots yesterday vs Switzerland and makes his second straight start in goal for Sweden today. After Julio Billia recorded the shutout yesterday, Mason McDonald makes his first start of the tournament for Canada today.
		Welcome. This game starts at 15:30 CEST, 09:30 EDT.

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 7. Kovacs (MuzitoBagenda), 9. Elgestal (Timashov), 22. Elgestal, 47. NylanderAltelius (Karlsson, Andersson) – 4. McCann (Lemieux, Audette), 44. Bennett (Watson), 49. Watson (Virtanen, Bennett)

Sweden2: Eriksson, Söderström at 46:51 -- Aho, Lagesson – Englund, Ollas Mattsson – Andersson, Johansson – Forsling, Timashov -- Lindblom, Franzen, Kempe – Olofsson, F. Karlsson, Kovacs – Tornqvist, Holmström, Elgestal – Nylander Altelius, Muzito Bagenda, A. Karlsson (C).

Canada2: Billia (McDonald) -- Hicketts, Ekblad (C) – Fleury, McKeown – Neill, Pilon – Carrier -- Bennett, Watson, Point – Dal Colle, Fabbri, Virtanen – Chartier, Bishop, Hawryluk – Lemieux, Audette, McCann – Pépin.

Referees: Hribík, Šír – Hlavatý, Tošenovjan

1st period
	03:14
	03:19
	06:17
	08:07
	09:28
	11:46
1st intermission
2nd period
	21:01
	22:41
	27:00
	28:19
	30:53
	34:54
	38:29
	39:37
2nd intermission
3rd period
	42:56
	43:54
	45:29
	46:09
	46:51
	48:01
	49:28
	55:34
	56:31
	58:47
Final