Thanks to a furious final sprint, defending champions Canada made it to the semi-finals after a 3–0 loss against Sweden.
Celebration Cluster: Canada’s Matthew Barzal (second from right) celebrates after 3:3.
IMAGO/Newspix24
Although Sweden took a 3–0 lead in the first 30 minutes of the quarter-finals in Tampere with goals from Karl Klingberg (2′), Willi Nylander (8′) and Max Friborg (29′), Canada had an aggregate. had a higher share. In the second third, the final ratio in favor of “Ahornblatter” was also 19:1.
But defender Ryan Graves had not broken the North American ban in the 42nd minute until the start of the third period. What followed was one of the most spectacular comebacks in recent World Cup history: just 113 seconds before the final siren, Pierre-Luc Dubois scored to make it 2:3. Exactly 30 seconds later, Matthew Barzal equalized – again with an extra field player – to make it 3:3 and thus cause overtime.
In overtime, Nylander had to go to the penalty box a few seconds later and so was decided in a four-three power play by young German star Tim Stutzl’s teammate Drake Batherson for the Ottawa Senators.
Canada followed the Czech Republic, which defeated Germany in parallel games to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Devoted web advocate. Bacon scholar. Internet lover. Passionate twitteraholic. Unable to type with boxing gloves on. Lifelong beer fanatic.
