Canada2 – Sweden2 5:1 (end) | Russia – USA 4:7 (end) | Slovakia2 – Switzerland 1:3 (end)
Czech Republic – Finland 4:3 (end)
final
Canada2
5:1 (0:0, 2:1, 3:0)
Sweden2
Tuesday 12.08.2014, 14:00 • Hlinka Gretzky Cup
     
    Welcome. This game starts at 14:00 CET, 08:00 ET.
     
    Canada and Sweden are probably the top two teams in this group, so this game could decide top spot in the Piestany Group. Both teams won their first games on Monday -- Canada 5-1 over Switzerland and Sweden 6-1 over Slovakia.
     
    Starting Lineups:

    Canada: Sawchenko (Booth) – J. Roy, Spencer, Brisebois, Meloche, Sompel, Bear, Hobbs – Crouse, N. Roy, Merkley – Knott, Strome, Marner – Harkins, Barzal, Konecny (C) – Soy, Stephens, Musil.

    Sweden: Sandström (Werner) – G. Carlsson, Kylington, L. Carlsson, Younan, Léman, Alftberg, Kalte, Larsson – Magnusson, Asplund (C), Davidsson – Dahlén, Ölund, Lööke – Dahlström, Erixon, Emanuelsson – Ahl, Ek Eriksson, Grundström..
     
    The teams are now coming onto the ice. Canada is designated as the home team and wearing red uniforms with black and white trim, black shoulders, pants and helmets and "CANADA" spelled diagonally from the right shoulder. Sweden is designated as the visiting team and wearing yellow uniforms with blue trim, blue pants and helmets and the familiar three blue crowns on the front.
     
    The national anthems of Sweden and Canada have been played, and the opening faceoff is moments away . . .
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    00:09
    A quick whistle for offside against Canada.
     
    01:08
    Strome beats a man to the outside, centres for Knott, fires wide.
     
    01:31
    Now the puck deflects out of play in the Canadian zone. Faceoff inside, as we still await the game's first shot on goal.
     
    02:23
    The first shot on goal is Sweden's Carl Grunstrom with a weak wrister, easily steered away by Sawchenko.
     
    02:51
    Icing Canada, and we get a bit of pushing after the whistle but nothing much comes of it.
     
    03:28
    Now Elnar Emanuelsson with a wrister, stick save Sawchenko.
     
    04:25
    Jonathan Davidsson with a hard wrister, blocker save Sawchenko.
     
    04:38
    We finally get a whistle as the puck goes over the glass. Sweden all over Canada, who are still shotless.
     
    05:19
    Strome and Marner tried to work a give-and-go but don't get a shot, then the other way Looke rushes up ice but forced off the puck and Sawchenko covers.
     
    05:37
    Offside Canada. Shots are 4-0 Sweden by my count.
     
    05:45
    Hard hit by Travis Konecny into the boards in the neutral zone. It was some physicality that got Canada into yesterday's game.
     
    05:56
    It looks like that hit got the desired effect, as Sweden's Jacob Larsson retaliates and gets called for roughing. Canada to the power play.
     
    06:15
    Canada moves it around early on the power play and Felix Sandstrom makes a glove save. That's Canada's first shot but I didn't see who it was.
     
    06:57
    Low wrister from Jeremy Roy through traffic. It hits Sandstrom and he looked around but it was under him. :59 left in the penalty.
     
    08:00
    Sweden at full strength, Canada continues possession in the zone.
     
    08:15
    Jen Looke leads a rush up ice, pad save Sawchenko.
     
    08:45
    Ethan Bear with a long wrister, save Sandstrom.
     
    09:07
    ... and back the other way Sawchenko catches a shoot-in and holds it.
     
    09:18
    Sweden with possession off the draw, Emanuelsson with a low shot and Sawchenko covers again.
     
    09:31
    Elnar Emanuelsson is getting Sweden's second penalty for interference, though he doesn't like the call. Canada back to the power play, 0/1.
     
    09:54
    The power play is over after 23 seconds as Nicolas Roy is called for charging. We'll play 4-on-4.
     
    10:10
    Filip Magnusson with a long wrister, Sawchenko catches and holds it.
     
    10:35
    Konecny tries to take the puck to the net, then Barzal tries to jam it in but is forced wide.
     
    11:27
    We've now got a hooking penalty against Canada's Mitchell Marner, so after :04 Sweden will have a two-man advantage.
    Canada before the game with Sweden
     
    11:45
    Sweden with control off the draw, Sawchenko covers with :08 left in the 5-on-3.
     
    12:11
    Big slapper from Oliver Kylington, save Sawchenko with 1:16 left in the Swedish power play. Canada now only 1 man short.
     
    12:28
    The puck apparently hits a player on the Canadian bench, so we have a faceoff inside with :54 left in the penalty.
     
    13:24
    The puck is deflected out of play in the Canadian zone with :03 left in the penalty.
     
    13:44
    Hard shoot-in by Younan, stick save Sawchenko, Canada back at full strength.
     
    14:14
    Sweden headed right back to the power play as Nick Merkley takes a slash on Lucas Carlsson.
     
    14:47
    Jansen Harkins gets a partial break shorthanded and fires a shot off the goalpost. They're now checking upstairs, but I don't think it went it.
     
    14:47
    No goal. Faceoff in the Swedish zone with 1:27 left in their power play.
     
    15:03
    Offside Sweden with 1:11 left in the penalty.
     
    16:01
    Another Canadian penalty as Nicolas Meloche is called for cross-checking, so Sweden will have another 5-on-3, this one for :13.
     
    16:30
    One penalty is over and Canada clears the zone.
     
    16:50
    Grundstrom with a wrister from the high slot, caught and held by Sawchenko with 1:11 left in the penalty.
     
    17:20
    Shot is blocked and Canada ice it again.
     
    18:01
    Canada back at full strength, as they kill off the last :20 of the penalty by ragging the puck.
     
    19:00
    Harkins' shot is blocked, then Sandstrom makes a pad save on Barzal.
     
    19:14
    Oliver Erixon is now getting a penalty for Sweden, so Canada to the power play, 0/2.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    An emotional first period between these two strong teams. Sweden came out stronger and thanks to two 5-on-3s in the period, held a wide edge in play, but it's still scoreless.

    2nd period begins at 14:52 CET, 08:52 ET.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    21:10
    Canada work it around on the PP, Roy centres to Strome for the one-timer from the slot, denied by Sandstrom.
     
    24:30
    We're back after some connection issues, Connor Hobbs with a big slapper from the point, pad save Sandstrom.
     
    25:22
    Icing Sweden.
     
    25:46
    Sweden's Jonathan Davidsson is now called for tripping, Canada to the power play.
     
    26:36
    Goal for Team Canada!
    They move it around on the power play, Mathew Barzal fires it off the crossbar and it comes right to TRAVIS KONECNY, who puts it in before Sandstrom could cover the near post.
    Assists: Mathew Barzal, Mitchell Vande Sompel.
    Travis KONECNY - 1:0
     
    28:00
    Back and forth action, first Sweden at one end, Ahl and Leman, then Canada on the 2-on-1, Sandstrom denies Stephens.
     
    29:04
    Nic Roy tries to take the puck to the net, can't get a shot away.
     
    29:33
    Battle for the puck along the boards in the Canadian zone and Jeremy Roy is called for cross-checking. Sweden to the power play.
     
    30:50
    The puck is frozen by Sawchenko with :43 remaining in the penalty.
     
    31:39
    Canada back at full strength, Sweden keep possession, Sawchenko makes a blocker save off Kylington.
     
    32:45
    Big collision into the boards as Ahl tried to get into the Canadian zone, Hobbs was slow to get up. Play continues.
     
    34:30
    Goal for Team Canada!
    He had one chance from right in front and fired it over the crossbar, but the puck is fed right back in front to LAWSON CROUSE and he made good the second time to make it 2-0.
    Assists: Nicolas Roy, Nick Merkley.
    Lawson CROUSE - 2:0
     
    35:55
    Puck deflected out of play in the Canadian zone, faceoff inside.
     
    36:34
    Goal for Team Sweden!
    The Swedes cut the deficit in half, as Younan finds PHILIP MAGNUSSON in the high slot, and fires it though a crowd.
    Assist: Alexander Younan.
    Philip MAGNUSSON - 2:1
     
    36:42
    Canada rush right back up ice and Knott fires it just wide.
     
    37:00
    Now the Swedes come back up ice and the Canadian net is dislodged. Faceoff inside.
     
    38:00
    Sweden with the momentum now and they very nearly tie it but Zachary Sawchenko makes a big save to keep Canada in the lead.
     
    38:00
    And Sawchenko is actually getting a penalty on the play for tripping. Tyler Soy is serving the penalty, so Sweden to the power play.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    The second period is a bit more wide-open that the first, with Canada scoring twice and Sweden scoring once. One period to play in a game that could well decide who stays in Piestany for the semifinal (as group winner) and who travels to Breclav.

    3rd period begins at 15:39 CET, 09:39 ET.
     
    The teams are returning to the ice and the 3rd period will start shortly.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    40:25
    Merkley tried to find Roy with the lead pass but it slides all the way to Sandstrom, who covers.
     
    40:33
    Konecny the long wrister, Sandstrom steers it to the corner.
     
    41:07
    Barzal backhands it just wide.
     
    58:-26
    Now a shot from the point is deflected by Crouse right on Sandstrom, who holds on.
     
    41:40
    Big slapper from Meloche, misses and hits the glass. All Canada early in the third.
     
    42:32
    Now a Swedish rush, Oliver Kylington with the wrister and Sawchenko covers.
     
    42:52
    Icing Canada.
     
    43:21
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Tyler Soy's shot was deflected by MITCHELL STEPHENS right into the pad of Sandstrom, but he got his own rebound and put it in to restore Canada's 2-goal lead.
    Assist: Tyler Soy.
    Mitchell STEPHENS - 3:1
     
    44:23
    Icing Sweden.
     
    45:02
    Canada again with possession in the Swedish zone and Lucas Carlsson is called for a cross-check in front of the net. Canada to the power play.
     
    45:39
    Pressure from Canada, Meloche shoots through a crowd right on Sandstrom, who holds with 1:23 left in the penalty.
     
    46:33
    Vande Sompel to Crouse for the one-timer, right on Sandstrom with :29 left in the penalty.
     
    47:05
    Sweden back at full strength, play in the neutral zone.
     
    47:28
    The puck goes out of play between the benches, faceoff outside the Canadian blueline.
     
    48:20
    Battle for the puck at the side of the Swedish net and it's finally frozen for a faceoff.
     
    48:39
    Hand pass Sweden in the neutral zone, faceoff at their own blueline.
     
    49:05
    Ahl centres to Joel Ek Eriksson right in front, but Zachary Sawchenko denies him on the backhand.
     
    50:40
    Chance for Sweden at one end, shot by Dahlstrom stopped and Emanuelsson can't get the wraparound to go, then Canada heads up ice, Strom shoots, Sandstrom saves and finally it's covered.
     
    51:10
    Battle in front of the Swedish net, Merkley is driven right into Sandstrom and both go down, play continues.
     
    51:29
    Finally Sandstrom catches the puck and holds on.
     
    52:09
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Scramble in front of the Swedish goal and it's MITCHELL STEPHENS who fires home his second goal of the game and gives them a 3-goal lead.
    Assists: Adam Musil, Tyler Soy.
    Mitchell STEPHENS - 4:1
     
    53:58
    Canada rush up ice, Strome wrists it high and wide.
     
    55:24
    Brisebois centres for Nic Roy, big scramble in the crease and finally Sandstrom covers.
     
    56:46
    Breakaway for Jansen Harkins, tripped from behind by Alexander Younan and he's getting a penalty shot.
     
    56:46
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Harkins goes five-hole on the penalty shot, it looked like Sandstrom stopped it but it squeeked through the pads and slowly slid across the goal line.
    Jansen HARKINS - 5:1
     
    57:19
    Merkley with a wrister from the high slot, caught and held by Sandstrom.
     
    58:16
    Turnover in front of the Swedish net, Knott has a great chance all alone but Sandstrom makes a great save.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    Players of the Game:

    SWE – Felix Sandstrom
    CAN – Mitchell Stephens
     
    So Canada takes the lead in the Piestany Group with 6 points, and have gone a long way to securing a semifinal berth. They play Slovakia tomorrow, while Sweden plays Switzerland. Switzerland and Slovakia play tonight, with the winner (in regulation) moving into a second-place tie with Sweden. (16:19:52)
    Commentary by

    Derek OBrien

    CZ@@Djob76

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 27. Konecny (Barzal, Vande Sompel), 35. Crouse (N. Roy, Merkley), 44. Stephens (Soy), 53. Stephens (Musil, Soy), 57. Harkins (p.s.) – 37. Magnusson (Younan)

    Canada2: Sawchenko (Booth) – J. Roy, Spencer, Brisebois, Meloche, Sompel, Bear, Hobbs – Crouse, N. Roy, Merkley – Knott, Strome, Marner – Harkins, Barzal, Konecny (C) – Soy, Stephens, Musil.
    Sweden2: Sandström (Werner) – G. Carlsson, Kylington, L. Carlsson, Younan, Léman, Alftberg, Kalte, Larsson – Magnusson, Asplund (C), Davidsson – Dahlén, Ölund, Lööke – Dahlström, Erixon, Emanuelsson – Ahl, Ek Eriksson, Grundström.
    Referees: Jonák, Novák – Stanzel, Šefčík