TORONTO – In one of the most exciting hockey games of any tournament, Team North America defeated Team Sweden, 4-3, in overtime on Tuesday.
The loss was not devastating to Team Sweden as they won Group B with the OT point and advance to the semi-finals.
For Team North America, the win was crucial to hopes of moving on out of the preliminary round.
Team North America needs Team Finland to defeat Team Russia on Thursday to make it to the next round.
Team North America, knowing its position in the ladder, came out hard and fasast and grabbed a 2-0 lead in less than two minutes of time.
“It was very fast. It was something we needed. It got us going. It got everybody engaged. The start probably set us up for the end, as well,” head coach Todd McLellan said of his North America squad. “Like we were energized and we were excited, we got the fans in it right away, so couldn’t ask for a better start.”
Team Sweden responded after being buffeted about by the storm and settled down. Trailing 3-2 in the third they tied the game to force overtime.
But in the extra session Nathan McKinnon scored at 4:11 of overtime, beating Henrik Lundqvist on a rush across the crease and sending the puck into the net for the low slot.
“I was pretty tired actually was my first thought when I got the puck,” McKinnon said after the game. “It was at my feet, so I didn’t want to mess that up. Then I was just kind of dribbling the puck, and I saw his stick came up for a poke check and managed to beat that and get it up. It was fun, a fun goal.”
Now everyone waits for Thursday’s results.
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