The Canadians, who started the title fight in Latvia with a record false start to three consecutive defeats, but then celebrated three successes, finished in fourth place in the Group B table, as their direct duel was tied with points and on. at the end of fifth place, amazing climber won Kazakhstan. If Latvia is the only won one point, then Canada slipped to fifth place. The United States won the group, winning 4:2 (3:0 1:1 0:1) against Italy at the end of the preliminary round.
Canada got off to a great start in the decider and took the lead after just 90 seconds thanks to Brandon Pirie. In the middle third, the Finns, who had already qualified for the quarter-finals, even managed to equalize through Artu Rutsalainen after 71 seconds. In the 29th minute, “Maple Leaves” was reintroduced: Maxim Komtois scored 2:1 in the power play. Just four minutes before the end of the third period, Reutslainen forced overtime with a renewed equalizer, however, aimless.
In the shoot-out, three Canadians out of five shooters awarded penalties, but only two Finns. Ice Hockey homeland depended on went missing from the second point required for a certain climbing and so external help.
Sweden regrets “failure”
Went another ice hockey superpower, ended Sweden, on Monday evening. After a decisive 2:3 defeat after a penalty shootout against Russia, the eleven-time world champion’s country was in despair. For the first time since 1937, “Trey Kronor” team went missing the top eight. “It’s the biggest failure in modern history. It’s a nuisance,” said former professional Jonas Anderson, a TV expert. Tabloid “Expression” runs the headline: “It is not failure, it’s a failure.”
“Our goal was to go to the end and win it. And I think we had a team that certainly could,” NHL striker Viktor Olofsson said after the break. “But we’re just sitting here and knockout round is not made, it is a disaster for us. “
At home, inexperienced team and coach faced criticism Johan Garpenlov. After all, Sweden is usually one of the medal candidates. Eleven titles adorn the long list of successes. Sweden has celebrated gold medals three times in the past decade, most recently in Germany in 2017 and in Denmark in 2018. There are also 17 silver and 16 bronze medals. With only three victories in seven matches and initially defeats against Denmark and newly promoted Belarus, there was no theoretical hope before the last day of the preliminary round.
Lack of World Cup experience as a hindrance
The Swedish crackdown did not want to use hotel isolation and coronavirus restrictions as an excuse. “It’s definitely different,” captain Heinrich Tomernes said: “But on the other hand, we had 20 players who played their first World Cup, so we didn’t know what to expect.”
Sweden was not as strong as last win, but at least five with his NHL were professional. This was the first World Cup in responsibility for Garpenlove as head coach, now he has to moderate the fact that Sweden are not involved for the first time since the start of the knockout round in 1992. “We are not happy with the result. But it is the same, “Garpenlov said. Former NHL player Bengt-Ake Gustafsson answered the question “Express” what needs to be improved: “Everything.”
