In a thrilling turn of events at the international hockey tournament, Sweden staged an impressive comeback after conceding a goal just 35 seconds into the game. Samuel Ersson’s stellar performance with 31 saves led Sweden to a 2-1 victory over the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off round-robin finale. This surprising result handed the previously undefeated Americans their first loss of the tournament.
The outcome of the nightcap held little significance for either the United States or Sweden, as the U.S. had already secured a spot in the championship game against Canada. Earlier on Monday, Canada had defeated Finland to set up the highly anticipated final match. The Swedes, on the other hand, needed Canada to stumble in order to have a shot at making it to the ultimate showdown.
The atmosphere at the TD Garden in Boston was electric, with fans donning powdered wigs and colonial-era tricorn hats. Prior to the game, the crowd passionately sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” in response to the Canadians who had previously booed the U.S. national anthem during games in Montreal. As the tension mounted in the final minutes, chants of “U-S-A!” reverberated through the arena, but the American team, with goalie Jake Oettinger pulled for an extra skater, couldn’t find the equalizer against the resilient Ersson.
The Americans struck early with Chris Kreider giving them the lead in the first minute of the game. However, Sweden clawed back into contention, with Gustav Nyquist leveling the score twelve minutes later. Just before the end of the first period, Jesper Bratt netted the decisive goal to put Sweden ahead. Despite the Americans dominating in shots on goal with a 32-23 advantage, the next two periods remained scoreless, sealing Sweden’s unexpected victory.
Having secured their place in the final by triumphing in their first two round-robin matches against Canada and Finland, the North American rivals are now set to renew their rivalry in the championship game. This highly anticipated matchup promises to be a thrilling encounter, reminiscent of their intense round-robin clash that captivated audiences and became the most-watched non-Stanley Cup Final hockey game since 2019.
The American team faced challenges from the start, with key player Auston Matthews sidelined at the beginning of the game. Their woes continued as Brady Tkachuk had to exit in the second period after a collision with Ersson in the crease. Adding to the disappointment for Boston fans was the absence of Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who was unexpectedly scratched from the lineup for the decisive match.
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