CAN18 2:0 SWE18 | Canada U18 - Sweden U18 (Hlinka Gretzky Cup)

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

USA U18 – Russia U18	2:5 (end)	\|	Canada U18 – Sweden U18	2:0 (end)	\|	Slovakia U18 – Finland U18	2:4 (end)
Czech Republic U18 – Switzerland U18	5:3 (end)

final

Canada U18

2:0 (1:0, 0:0, 1:0)

Sweden U18

Tuesday 11.08.2015, 15:30 • Hlinka Gretzky Cup • Group A

		Welcome. Game starts at 15:30.
		Good afternoon to all hockey fans. The second day of the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup is here so the second game for Team Canada and Sweden on this tournament.
		Yesterday, in the first games, both Canada and Sweden won their matches. Canada beat home Czechs 3 – 1. But for this result Canadian players had to do their best, because Czechs were playing really good game. And the same complicated match had to undergo Sweden too. Young Swedish guns were leading 3 – 1 against Switzerland, but the final win 4 – 3 must have been decided in the last minute of the game, when Jacob Cederholm score power-play game winning goal. Both teams have now 3 points so the winner of this game will take a lead of the Group A played in Breclav.
		Starting lineups: Canada U18: Wells (Hart) – Fabbro, Bean, Clague, Mete, Quenneville, Girard, Poirier, Mahura – Malenstyn, McLeod, Kaspick – Dubois, Patrick, Benson – Bitten, Steel, Howden – Kyrou, Jost, Dube. Sweden U18: Gustavsson (Wallin) – Thilander, Moverare, Horrsell, Deutsch, Cederholm, Brännström, Nässén – Andersson, Lindström, Bratt – Nylander, Davidsson, Pettersson – Steen, Fällström, Weissbach – Wahlgren, Olsson, Oskar Referees: Hradil, Sir – Hlavaty, Tosenovjan.
		Players are on the ice and listening to the anthems. Game will start soon.
	00:01	Game started.
	00:25	Canada has the puck in its defence zone. No bigger chance so far.
	00:55	Sweden took the puck from Canada but wans't successful – Swedish attack was interrupted because of the offside.
	01:44	Canada has problems with the puck in front of its net again. But Sweden was finally harmless.
	02:10	First shot on goal – Bitten tried it from the blue line but the puck was blocked by one Swedish defenceman.
	03:28	Now chance for Sweden. But Wells in the net was solid. Faceoff near his right hand.
	04:02	It's quite up and donw hockey first minutes of this game.
	04:38	Sweden is better on the puck in its defence zone, but in front of Wells isn't able to create any bigger chance.
	05:36	Patrick tried it from the blue line, but it was no problem for Gustavsson. Shot from Canadian forward went wide.
	06:15	Sweden took the puck and skated in front of Wells with one man advantage. But after all the Swedes weren't able to even shot the puck on the net.
	07:23	Canada plays little bit risky in its defence zone. Another really close pass in front of Wells.
	08:17	Now is time for commercial break.
	08:42	The same game from the Swedes all the time. They play really good defensively, but in fron of Wells aren't able to create any chance to score.
	09:25	Sweden in front of Wells again.
	09:43	...but still no shot.
	10:31	Still up and down game. Sweden had a quite good chance, but there was one more pass which made the combination unsuccessful.
	11:37	Goal for Team Canada! Great individual chance for MIKE MCLEOD. Young Canadian gun skated right between two Swedish defencemen and shot the puck under Gustavsson's pads. Assist: David Quenneville.
Mike MCLEOD - 1:0
	12:36	Right after scoring the leading goal, McLeod is sent to the penalty box – two minutes slashing.
	13:54	Good chance for Sweden – Movarare gets the puck after deflection but he wasn't able to score to open net.
	14:36	Canada plays in full strenght.
	15:30	Wells doesn't have many saves in this period. But now covers the puck on ice and waits for the whistle.
	16:03	Dubois skated along the boarding and tried to pass the puck in the middle of the rink, but his pass was blocked.
	16:55	Another turnover in Canadian defence zone. But the Swedes still wait to score their opener.
	17:57	Good chance for Fabbro from the blue line. Canadian defenceman hid his shot. Puck hit only Gustavsson's shoulder.
	18:34	Nylander sent the puck in front of the Wells's net where Oskar was waiting for the pass. But finally wasn't able to deflect the puck in the net.
	19:45	Last chance for Canada in this period.
	20:00	1st period finished.
		Next period begins at 16.11.
		The only scorer of the first period was Canadian Mike McLeod who showed beautiful individual chance and used a mistake of Swedish defence to send his team to 1 – 0 lead.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
	20:05	First faceoff won for Canada.
	20:48	Benson holds the puck behind Gustavsson's net, but wasn't able to make a pass.
	21:45	Good chance for Howden and Bitten. In the end Bitten wasn't able to deflect the puck behind Gustavsson.
	22:57	Sweden had for men in front of Wells compared to Canada's two guys. But still no goal for yellow team.
	23:46	Still up and donw hockey. Same like in the first period.
	24:07	The biggest Swedish problem are their unaccurate passes. They lose the puck quite often.
	24:47	But now turnover on Canadian side.
	25:04	Faceoof in front of Gustavsson – Sweden gained the puck and tried to skate in front of Wells. Unsuccessfully.
	25:40	Game is still in Swedish defence zone.
	26:30	Sweden isn!t able to get the puck from Canada. And when they get it, they only send it to the icing call.
	27:17	Swedish favourite song of last few minutes is undoubtly Under Pressure from Queen.
	27:47	Tired Swedes have now chance to rest a little bit – commercial break.
	27:47	First penalty for Sweden – Howden gets two minutes for interference. PP Canada.
	28:45	Sweden under pressure again. But young Swedish guns work quite well in the defence so far during this PK.
	29:44	Sweden was able to send the puck behind Wells and PP is over for Canada.
	30:20	Little scramble in front of Canada's net. Wells looks little bit shocked, but he will be alright.
	30:46	Sweden has a problem in the neutral zone. No way how to go through it with the puck on the sticks.
	31:08	Great save for Gustavsson after Quenneville's try from the left circle. Swede's glove was fast enough to stop the puck.
Gustavsson's save
	31:41	Intentional offside from Canada – faceoff in front of Wells.
	31:55	Bratt skated in front of Wells and waited for some deflection. But Canadian defence gave him no chance.
	32:35	No chance for Canada on the other side of the rink. But the puck only hit the Gustavsson's pad.
	32:58	Bokvist gets two minutes penalty for interference. Second PP for Canada in this game. Will Canada play better than during the first PP?
	33:30	Sweden is again under huge pressure. But after Canada's shot from the left the puck slided from the zone.
	34:36	Good defence from Sweden means no chance to score for Canada.
	34:58	And also secod Canadian PP is over. Bokvist is already on the ice.
	35:33	Nylander tried to hide his shot behind one Canadian defenceman, but the shot went wide after a little deflection.
	36:45	Sweden is still in troubles in finding recipe for Canadian defence.
	37:17	Another chance for Sweden now.
	37:29	But it ends in the neutral zone quite soon. Dube gets two minutes penalty for kneeing. Second power play for Sweden in this match.
	37:45	But it was really short PP for Sweden. Two minutes for Thilander (high sticking). Teams play 4 on 4.
	38:40	Patrick gets the puck in front of Gustavsson, waits a few second and fires the puck in one defending Swede. No save for Gustavsson.
	39:14	Faceoff in Swedish defence one.
	39:34	Canada won and had several shots and deflection. But Gustavsson stayd solid.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
		Next period begins at 16.56.
		Almost the sam period as the first one. Even though both teams had two power plays, no goal was score. So the only goal scorer of this game is still Mike McLeod, who made it 1 – 0 for Canada in the first period. But it's still really close game with many chances on both sides.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	40:16	Sweden with the puck tries to form first attack of the period.
	40:52	But it wasn't successful. Canadian defence sent the puck across whole rink to the Gustavsson.
	41:41	Canada made a mistake in front of Wells so one of forchecking Swedes took the puck and tried to pass it on the right wing.
	42:11	But this try wasn't successful. Canada got the puck and skated in front of Gustavsson.
	42:30	Swedish defence covered Canadian attemp to score.
	42:50	Really good chance on the other side. Wells had to be really carefull because of the traffic in front of his net. But after few deflections he found the puck after Thilander's shot from the blue line.
	43:37	Referees blow a whistle – offside Canada.
	44:24	After Wells's save faceoff by his right hand.
	44:54	Canada shows how easy it could be to go through the neutral zone. But after all now shot on Gustavsson.
	45:22	Finally now save for Gustavsson. Faceoff in front of him.
	46:07	Horrsell falls down after little scramble in the corner. But referees stay calm. No whistle.
	46:41	But whishle blows now! Two minutes penalty for Fällström – hooking.
	47:06	No power play goals scored so far in this game. Will this PP for Canada change something?
	47:33	It doesn't look like. Sweden plays still really good defensively.
	48:24	In short succession Steel tried it twice from longer distance – but both attemps were deflected.
	48:41	Sweden in full strenght.
	50:16	It's really up and down game last few minutes.
	50:40	But no bigger chance or even a better shot from both teams. It's still really close game.
	51:04	Dangerous shot from the blue line by Quenneville. But it finally ends deflected in the corner.
	51:34	Brännström gets two minutes penalty for interference. It's a big complication for Sweden in its way to equal the score.
	52:31	Faceoff in the neutral zone.
	53:18	Even though Canada is playing in PP, it really doesn't look like that.
	54:04	The Swedes try their best to score the goal, but there is still something missing in their game.
	54:49	Chance for Sweden now. Malenstyn gets two minute penalty for slashing.
	54:49	Visiting team timeout.
	55:17	What a slapshot by Thilander. His huge shot from the blue was deflected somewhere high.
	55:51	Hand pass called against Sweden. Faceoff in the neutral zone.
	56:16	It looked like Sweden will play with no troubles in front of Wells, but in the final moment they lost the puck.
	56:49	Canada survived Swedish pressure and plays in full strenght.
	57:27	Save for Gustavsson after a shot from the left.
	57:51	Gustavsson was quite lucky. Ona Canadian guy was standing alone in front of his net and waited for the puck. But when he got it it jumped over his stick.
	58:24	Visiting team timeout.
	58:24	What a chance for Sweden now. Swedish team will finish this perior in the power play. Howden gets two minutes for hooking.
	58:56	Gustavsson on the bench – Sweden tries it with six skaters.
	59:27	But now bigger chance so far during this power play.
	59:40	Goal for Team Canada! And Canada made it 2 – 0 when WILLIAM BITTEN sent the puck in the empty net. Assist: Victor Mete.
William BITTEN - 2:0
		Game over.
		Best players of this game are two goalies – Filip Gustavsson (SWE) and Dylan Wells (CAN) who gets the first shutout on this tournament.
		Even though Canada overshoted Sweden 35 – 17, it was still quite close game. The GWG was score by McLeod already in the first period because Sweden wasn't able to get even one shot or deflection behind solid Wells. So Canada has now 6 points and leads Group A in Breclav. Sweden is second with 3 points. (17:34:39)

Commentary by

Karolína Antošová

@KarolAntosova

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 12. McLeod (Quenneville), 60. Bitten (Mete)

Canada U18: Wells (Hart) – Fabbro, Bean, Clague, Mete, Quenneville, Girard, Poirier, Mahura – Malenstyn, McLeod, Kaspick – Dubois, Patrick, Benson – Bitten, Steel, Howden – Kyrou, Jost, Dube.

Sweden U18: Gustavsson (Wallin) – Thilander, Moverare, Horrsell, Deutsch, Cederholm, Brännström, Nässén – Andersson, Lindström, Bratt – Nylander, Davidsson, Pettersson – Steen, Fällström, Weissbach – Wahlgren, Olsson, Oskar

Referees: Hradil, Sir – Hlavaty, Tosenovjan

1st period
	11:37
	12:36
1st intermission
2nd period
	27:47
	32:58
	37:29
	37:45
2nd intermission
3rd period
	46:41
	51:34
	54:49
	58:24
	59:40
Final