Men's Ice Hockey World Cup of Hockey 2016

Finnator123 · September 21, 2016

I'm going to support Team Europe to win it all And i'm not even mad anymore. Team Finland is going through a generation change. We have so many young fowards and D-men already playing in the NHL. They just need more experience. Our good defensive D-men have all retired and now a new generation is rising. 4 years from now, in the next World Cup of Hockey, just watch. We will win it all. FINLAND 4ever!! <3

And this was Marjamäki's first international tournament as a head coach of our national team. It's a bit difficult to start straight from the top

hckošice · September 21, 2016

Team North America - Sweden 4-3 (OT)

Foto: Šialené predstavenie mladých Američanov, Švédi padli po predĺžení

hckošice · September 21, 2016

MacKinnon wins it in OT

Thriller ends with magical deke with 48.8 seconds left

Air Canada Centre Toronto ON Canada

Vince Trocheck celebrates his goal for Team North America in the first period against Sweden.

Nathan MacKinnon put the moves on Henrik Lundqvist in overtime, giving North America a 4-3 win over Sweden in World Cup play. It was an overtime with breakaways and great saves, culminating with a win by the speedy youngsters who have captured the hearts of fans in Toronto.

"It was a lot of fun to be a part of," enthused Mark Schiefele.

Incredibly, the result is a mixed message for the young guns. Sweden, with the one point for an OT loss, will finish first in the group with five points and qualify for the semi-finals.

"Of course, you always want to win the game, but for us, it's mission accomplished," said Swedish coach Rikard Gronborg. "We finished first in our group and we move on, so we're happy."

North America, meanwhile, has four points after the win, but the team is in a tenuous position. Russia has two points with a game against Finland tomorrow. If the Russians win and finish tied with North America, Russia would advance because of the head-to-head result.

The first period was perhaps the most entertaining so far at this year’s tournament. Not only did it produce five goals, it featured no fewer than five breakaways by the speedy North Americans, two by Connor McDavid who couldn’t buy a goal for his bad fortune.

In fact, the first minute alone was sensational. McDavid made a brilliant rush but was stopped by Henrik Lundqvist. The puck came to Morgan Rielly at the point, and his shot created a rebound for Auston Matthews to bang home just 30 seconds after the opening faceoff.

Next shift, Johnny Gaudreau had a breakaway but was hooked by Erik Karlsson from behind, resulting in a penalty shot. Gaudreau, however, made a mess of the chance and fired high and wide from a long way out.

No matter. Next shift saw Shayne Gostisbehere find Vince Trocheck in front with a great slap pass. Trocheck controlled the puck and patiently backhanded it past a sprawling Lundqvist for a 2-0 lead.

The experienced Swedes were not so easily conquered, though. They got one goal back at 8:24 when Filip Forsberg’s shot snuck in under the arm of John Gibson.

Five minutes later, Gaudreau scored a beauty, again on a breakaway. This time he deked Lundqvist out of his equipment, making it 3-1 at 13:57.

But again the Swedes clawed their way back. Gibson made an angled save on a Forsberg shot, but the puck came out the other side where Niklas Backstrom knifed it into the empty side of the goal.

The North Americans were sailing nicely along, but in a flash it was a tie game. Early in the third a hard Karlsson pass found Patrik Berglund's stick in front, and he made a great deflection past Gisbon at 6:50.