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Canada Too Much for Tre Kronor |
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Heading into the Olympic gold medal match against Team Canada, Tre Kronor knew that it would face a difficult challenge getting pucks into scoring areas against the most stifling team defense in the tournament. They also knew it was imperative not to get pinned in their own end of the ice for long stretches and worn down by the Canadian forecheck.
Knowing and doing are two entirely different things. Team Sweden had no answers for solving Team Canada and went down rather meekly, 3-0. Canada dominated the final 40 minutes of play.
The Canadians put up picket fence on the scoreboard on a first period Jonathan Toews goal driving to the net, a second period Sidney Crosby breakaway goal and a third period Chris Kunitz tally high to the short side. Sweden generated very little of note against Carey Price (24 save shutout) after the opening period. The Swedes got just 12 pucks on the Canadian net -- three in the third period -- after the opening stanza.
Henrik Lundqvist (33 saves) did his part in keeping the Swedes in the game in the scoreboard for 49 minutes. Kunitz's goal scored using the defense as a screen was perhaps stoppable but it didn't matter much by that point because the Canadians were so thoroughly in control of the game.
Tre Kronor relied heavily on its power play and offense from the point throughout the tournament but the Canadians rendered it a non-factor. Canada played a disciplined game, taking just two penalties (the latter with the game out of reach in the third period). Additionally, just as they did against Team USA, the Canadians owned the walls and everything below the dots as the game progressed.
After the game, the Swedish players offered no excuses (such as the absences of many key players) and conceded that Team Canada was simply the better team.
"Right now, I'm feeling major disappointment," Lundqvist said to Swedish TV network Viasat. "But Canada was better; there was nothing else to say. We started out well bu after they scored to take the lead, they played unbelievably tight. Right now it's a big disappointment but we have to give Canada credit. They played extremely well."
Added Erik Karlsson to Viasat, "It's pretty damn tough. We didn't play our best game. We tried but, unfortunately, they were a little better than us. Right there, there's not much to say. Later on, you can look back after the season and understand that you got a silver in any case. Right now, it's tough."
The already depleted Swedish roster took another major hit before the game. Key center Nicklas Bäckström was disqualified from playing by the International Olympic Committee because he had tested positive for a banned stimulant -- possibly due to medication he was taking to treat migraine headaches.
The presence of Bäckström, along with Henrik Zetterberg (herniated disc and subsequent back surgery) and injured players who were unable to come to Sochi such as Henrik Sedin and Johan Franzén may have helped Sweden be more competitive in the gold medal game. However, with the way Canada played in the semifinals and finals, it is debatable that the Swedes would have stopped the Canadians no matter who was on the ice for Tre Kronor. Additionally, Canada was also missing some of their top weapons, including John Tavares and Steven Stamkos.
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