TORONTO – A tight match between Team Russia and Team Sweden ended in some controversy on the ice when Alex Ovechkin appeared to have scored the game-tying goal with 8.2 seconds left on the clock.
The goal was waved off by the on-ice officials for having been directed in off Ovechkin’s glove.
A video review confirmed the no-goal call and Team Sweden escaped with a 2-1 win.
Jakob Markstrom got the start in Team Sweden’s net with Henrik Lundqvist coming down sick ahead of the start of the match.
“I found out actually right after I was up here (press table). I walked downstairs and found out he was sick and couldn’t play. We didn’t adjust our game plan,” Team Sweden head coach Rickard Gronborg said after the game.
“I think obviously Markstrom is a very accomplished goalie and he proved that today. There was no change in the game plan. Unfortunately, for Lundqvist, that he couldn’t play. It was tough to make an adjustment at that point in time.”
In a tight, defensive match, Victor Hedman was named the first star of the game. Gronborg reflected on Hedman’s effort and that of the entire blueline corps in the postgame interview.
“I think the defensive unit as a whole played really a solid game, but they also got help from our forwards in making good decisions,” Gronborg said. “Our forwards, it makes it a lot easier for the defensemen to sort things out. The communication between the backchecking forwards and the defense was excellent. Same thing when they have pressure in our zone. It was good communication.
“So it’s easier for the defensemen even though a great job by the forwards doing their job. I think Hedman is a horse; you saw it today. He played all kinds of different situations, and now I know why he’s so highly regarded. I knew that before, but now he’s proven to everyone back at home in Sweden that this is how good he is. It was nice for me to see Victor have that kind of a game.”
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