MONTREAL – Mitch Marner scored at 6:06 of 3-on-3 time beyond regulation as Canada edged Sweden 4-3 to open the 4 Nations Face-Off event Wednesday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs winger ended a back-and-forth additional interval the place each groups had loads of possibilities to safe the win when he ripped a shot upstairs on Filip Gustavsson.
Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand and Mark Stone had the opposite targets for the Canadians, who received 23 saves from Jordan Binnington. Sidney Crosby added three assists in NHL gamers’ return to high-level worldwide competitors.
Jonas Brodin, Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek replied for the Swedes. Gustavsson stopped 24 pictures. Lucas Raymond chipped in two assists.
Canada earned two factors within the standings for the extra-time victory, whereas Sweden secured one for the loss after regulation.
The US and Finland meet Thursday in these nations’ first video games on the round-robin occasion that’s serving as an appetizer forward of the NHL’s return to the Olympics in 2026.
The 4 Nations represents the closest males’s hockey has come to a best-on-best occasion for the reason that 2016 World Cup. The NHL went to 5 straight Olympics between 1998 and 2014 earlier than skipping the 2018 Video games for monetary causes and scuttling plans in 2022 due to COVID-19 issues.
Russia isn’t a part of this event due to its ongoing struggle in Ukraine, whereas reigning world champion Czechia can also be on the surface trying in because of a competition-compressed window.
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The 4 Nations will see 4 video games on the Bell Centre earlier than the showcase shifts to Boston for 2 extra contests and the Feb. 20 remaining.
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After a deafening ovations for Crosby and Mario Lemieux — and a rousing rendition of “O Canada” forward of Wednesday’s opening faceoff — Canada struck on an influence play simply 56 seconds into the primary interval.
Connor McDavid fed Crosby down low earlier than he rapidly discovered MacKinnon, a fellow Cole Harbour, N.S., product, in entrance with a slick no-look move on a deadly first-unit energy play that additionally contains Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar.
Marchand made it 2-0 at 13:15 of the opening interval on a 2-on-1 with Brayden Level. The Boston Bruins captain — one other Nova Scotian and normally public enemy No. 1 in Montreal — had his title cheered, together with a smattering of boos, when the scoring play was introduced within the constructing.
Sweden lastly received its first shot on track with greater than quarter-hour gone when Gustav Forsling snapped a puck into Binnington’s glove.
The Scandivians received on the board at 9:33 of the second when Brodin fired a shot by the Canadian netminder’s ear.
The Swedes continued to hold the play because the interval wore on till Crosby went again to work.
Canada’s 37-year-old captain — an harm concern forward of the event — raced into the offensive zone earlier than stopping up and discovering a hard-charging Stone for him to bury a shot five-hole on Gustavsson to once more blow the roof off the frothing rink.
Kempe lower the deficit to 3-2 at 1:54 of the third off the frenzy on a shot that flew previous Binnington. Canada’s crease was a big speaking level coming into the 4 Nations with Binnington, Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault having all had less-than stellar campaigns for his or her NHL groups.
Eriksson Ek received Sweden again on stage phrases at 8:59 on a Jesper Bratt setup on the lip of Canada’s crease.
Gustavsson then made an enormous saves on Devon Toews and Makar earlier than Canada needed to kill a Josh Morrissey penalty for high-sticking to arrange the dramatic end.
THEODORE OUT
Canadian defenceman Shea Theodore left within the second interval and didn’t return after taking a clear hit from Kempe.
WORLD CUP
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Gamers’ Affiliation chief Marty Walsh introduced earlier than the sport that the league will maintain a World Cup in 2028. The goal is to stage the occasion every even non-Olympic yr in hopes of getting best-on-best tournaments each 24 months from the 2026 Video games onward.
BOO BIRDS
U.S. captain Auston Matthews was lustily booed throughout the pre-game ceremony that additionally featured Finnish counterpart Aleksander Barkov together with Lemieux, Teemu Selanne, Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Richter.
GOOD VIBES
Crosby spoke Wednesday morning about his love for the Bell Centre’s environment he’s skilled enjoying in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens along with his Pittsburgh Penguins.
“There’s a sure really feel to it,” he mentioned. “A lot historical past and simply the hockey really feel that you simply get being right here.
“It’s a particular place.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Feb. 12, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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