Canada Victorious Against Sweden in First Game of the 4Nations Face-Off

Posted on by

After a thrilling opening night in the 4Nations tournament, Team Canada emerged victorious against Team Sweden thanks to a Mitch Marner overtime winner.

With uncertainty surrounding the level of play expected heading into the tournament, both Canada and Sweden quickly put that discussion to rest, delivering one of the most entertaining hockey games fans have seen in a long time. The players are excited to represent their countries, and reporters covering the tournament have noted that the atmosphere around the teams is intense- reminiscent of a playoff environment.

Canada entered the tournament as the favorite in the eyes of many, boasting an elite roster filled with top-end talent and proven winners, including Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar- all of whom have a Stanley Cup to their name, alongside a plethora of other champions in the locker room.

For Crosby and MacKinnon, this tournament marks the first time the longtime friends have had the chance to share the ice in international play, and it didn’t take long for their chemistry to pay off. Less than a minute into the game, Crosby set up MacKinnon on the power play for the opening goal.

After the initial frenzy settled and both teams found their rhythm, it appeared as though Canada would maintain control. They scored another goal in the first period while limiting Sweden to just three shots, heading into the intermission with a 2-0 lead. However, the Swedes made adjustments in the second period and fought back, cutting the deficit to one before Canada restored a 3-1 lead heading into the third. The 3rd period told a different story, as Sweden stormed back to tie the game and force overtime. In the extra frame, Canada sealed the win after a long drop pass from Sidney Crosby found a streaking Mitch Marner, who buried a wrister from the slot.

Once again, Crosby proved why he remains one of the greatest players of all time, assisting on all three of Canada’s goals and leading the team to victory.

It was an outstanding display of world-class hockey talent- something fans have been missing since the last best-on-best international showdown at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. With NHL players now set to return to the Olympics, the 4Nations tournament serves as a precursor to the biggest sporting event on the planet, and game one did not disappoint.

Game two takes place tonight, with Team USA facing off against Team Finland at 5 PM PT.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *