Sweden scored two goals in a 2:11 span of the second period and then withstood a furious rally by Russian Federation to take a 2-1 win in its opening game of the World Cup of Hockey on Sunday. With Sweden favorites to move on, it’ll likely come down to Russian Federation and North America for the second berth into the semifinals, with the two tied in the standings and Russian Federation holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.
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Once North America got its composure and the puck back, it continued to bombard Bobrovsky with shots. Unfortunately for Team North America, they ran out of time and now face a must-win Wednesday against Sweden to have a chance to punch their ticket to the semifinal.
“It’s a pretty good feeling just to go out there and contribute”, Matthews said.
“We went out there and we definitely took it to them”.
Russia’s goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, stayed low.
Johnny Gaudreau was a major factor in Team NA’s hot start vs. Sweden.
Russian Federation began to spend some time in the second period in the North American end and Namestnikov scored off a fat Murray rebound of a Ivan Telegin shot at 9:29.
Team Europe has been cobbled together with players from eight smaller hockey playing nations while Team North America features the best under-24 players from Canada and the United States. He was named the Second Star of the Game after also contributing three shots in 14:39 of ice time.
“He’s a great player, he’s been a producer in big time moments”, Lightning teammate and Team Canada forward Steven Stamkos said. Just over two minutes later, Vladimir Tarasenko took the puck from Pavel Datsyuk and let fly with a quick turnaround shot from the top of the left circle.
Ekblad scored 15 goals and added 21 assists over 78 games with the Panthers in 2015-16, his second year in the National Hockey League.
To which the Young North Americans responded with two unanswered goals of the thir own. Vladislav Namestnikov, playing his first game of the tournament, picked up the rebound, shot it off the post, only to be kicked in by Murray.
As this lost season drags on, and even the ice grows exhausted of the Edmonton Oilers skating on it, I’m noticing more goals against where the entire Oilers team just doesn’t look sharp.
Winnipeg Jet Jacob Trouba dressed in place of the Florida Panther.
In the final period Ryan Nugent-Hopkins provided the only offense for Team North America.
Team GM Peter Chiarelli refused to comment on a report that Ekblad was suffering from concussion-like issues, telling Sportsnet between periods that the defenceman was listed as day-to-day. And their captain tagged as “the next one” Connor McDavid is front and center as the kids look to prove to the hockey world they are more than just alright. They didn’t need a lot of chances.
Russian Federation plays Finland on Thursday and North America plays Sweden on Wednesday.
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It was by no means a ideal period for the North Americans, but it was a wildly fun one.
