MONTREAL – Sidney Crosby feeds off the power every time he units foot within the Bell Centre.
The famous person grew up a fan of the Montreal Canadiens and has had some memorable nights inside considered one of hockey’s cathedrals.
“There’s a sure really feel to it,” Crosby mentioned Wednesday morning. “A lot historical past and simply the hockey really feel that you just get being right here.
“It’s a particular place.”
He added one other spine-tingling chapter hours later.
Crosby had three assists, together with the setup on Mitch Marner’s winner at 6:06 of 3-on-3 time beyond regulation, as Canada edged Sweden 4-3 in a riveting opener to the 4 Nations Face-Off event.
The nation’s 37-year-old captain acquired the loudest ovation earlier than puck drop — till Montreal native and hockey nice Mario Lemieux walked out of the tunnel — after which mixed with Connor McDavid to arrange Nathan MacKinnon’s power-play opener simply 56 seconds into the primary interval.
“To have an ovation like that right here was actually particular,” mentioned Crosby, whose nation has now gained 26 video games in a row with him within the lineup. “It’s one thing I’ll all the time bear in mind.”
Followers within the constructing chanting his identify, and people watching at house, will bear in mind one other breathtaking efficiency from No. 87.
“It’s no coincidence, his file when he’s carrying a Canadian jersey,” mentioned head coach John Cooper. “It’s not a fluke. He’ll go down as the best participant to ever symbolize this nation.”
Having already arrange two objectives, Crosby whipped the puck again to Marner within the impartial zone in a frenetic additional interval earlier than heading off on a change.
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Marner then darted over the Swedish blue line and ripped a shot upstairs on Filip Gustavsson.
“You inform 10-year-old Mitch he scored an time beyond regulation objective, assisted by Sidney Crosby, a man you appeared as much as since Day 1 … it’s fairly loopy,” mentioned the Toronto Maple Leafs winger.
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Brad Marchand and Mark Stone had the opposite objectives for the Canadians, who acquired 23 saves from Jordan Binnington in NHL gamers’ return to high-level worldwide competitors.
Jonas Brodin, Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek replied for the Swedes. Gustavsson stopped 24 photographs. Lucas Raymond chipped in two assists.
Canada, which misplaced defenceman Shea Theodore for the remainder of the event when he took a success within the second interval, earned two factors within the standings for the extra-time victory. The Scandinavians secured one for the loss after regulation.
“We’ll take the purpose and transfer ahead,” Swedish captain Victor Hedman mentioned. “Actually proud of the best way we have been enjoying many of the night time. It was an outstanding ambiance.”
The USA and Finland meet Thursday in these international locations’ 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 considerations.
Russia isn’t a part of this event due to its ongoing struggle in Ukraine, whereas reigning world champion Czechia can be on the surface wanting in because of a competition-compressed window.
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 last.
After deafening ovations for Crosby and Lemieux — and a rousing rendition of “O Canada” forward of Wednesday’s opening faceoff — Canada struck on that man benefit simply 56 seconds into the primary interval.
McDavid fed Crosby down low earlier than he shortly 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.
“That was wonderful,” MacKinnon mentioned. “Ton of adrenalin and goose bumps.”
Marchand made it 2-0 at 13:15 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 identify cheered, together with a smattering of boos, when the scoring play was introduced within the constructing.
The Swedes acquired on the board at 9:33 of the second when Brodin fired a shot by Binnington’s ear.
The Swedes continued to hold the play because the interval wore on till Crosby went again to work.
An harm concern forward of the event, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain raced into the offensive zone earlier than discovering a hard-charging Stone for him to bury a shot five-hole and as soon as once more blow the roof off the frothing rink.
Kempe minimize the deficit to 3-2 at 1:54 of the third off the push on a shot. Canada’s crease was a major 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.
“Make the saves that you just’re presupposed to make, possibly slide in a single that you just’re not,” Cooper mentioned of his message to Binnington. “That’s what he did.”
Eriksson Ek acquired Sweden again on degree phrases at 8:59 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 that included probabilities at each ends.
“Wonderful power on this constructing,” MacKinnon mentioned. “Positively the best I’ve ever been part of.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Feb. 12, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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