Neighboring countries will renew an old age rivalry when the team Sweden meets Team Finland in the third match in the 4 nations face-off on Saturday afternoon in Montreal.
“I mean, it will be a lot of fun,” said Sweden and Nashville Predator’s Vinger Filip Forsberg. “Of course, it is a rivalry that goes back to the Middle Ages, quite a lot.”
The Northern European countries are separated by a 339 km long limit and Botnia Gulf.
“Overall, I would say that it is kind of a brotherly love and hatred, where” hatred “is a strong word, so take it properly,” said the team Sweden coach Sam Hallam. “But you want to beat your brother, that’s how it is.”
Each team lost their opening game in the Mids season tournament in Montreal, but Sweden managed to earn a point in its 4-3 overtime defeat against Team Canada on Wednesday. Finland fell 6-1 to Team USA on Thursday.
Teams receive three points for a regulatory win, two points for an overtime/shootout victory, a point for an overtime/shootout loss and no points for a loss of regulation. The United States leads with three points, and Canada has two.
Finland dragged the United States 2-1 after two periods and played the country’s signature defensive, narrow control and counter-attack style. However, the United States made twice during the first 26 seconds of the third period and added another goal on three minutes to blow the competition openly.
Buffalo Saber’s defender Henri Jokiharju gave Finland a 1-0 lead 7:31 into the game. However, Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators tied less than three minutes later, and the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Boldy got the possible winning goal late in the second period.
Brady Tkachuk added his second goal, his brother Matthew Tkachuk from Florida Panthers made twice (both on Power Play) and added an assist and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jake Guentzel also scored for Team USA during the third period.
Nashville’s Juuse Saros made 26 rescues for Finland.
“It doesn’t matter that we play Sweden. I’m sure everyone in here wants to play again as soon as possible,” wrote Finland’s Mikael Granlund by Dallas Stars in a blog for NHL.com. “Of course it will be an exciting game and I am excited about the opportunity.”
Sweden began slowly in its loss to Canada, which enabled a Power-play-target 56 seconds and dragged 2-0 after the first period.
The Minnesota Wild defender Jonas Brodin put Sweden on the board 9:33 in the second period. Third period markers by Los Angeles Kings’ Adrian Kempe and Wild’s Joel Eriksson-EK Band competition 3-3 and sent it to overtime, but Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs made the winner for Canada 6:06 in the three -on-three extra session.
Overtime periods in the tournament are 10 minutes of the three-against-three game and then a shootout if the game is still tied, until the championship. That overtime would use the Stanley Cup playoffs on five-on-five for 20-minute periods until a goal is made.
The Detroit Red Wings Lucas Raymond had two assists for Sweden on Wednesday, while Minnesota Filip Gustavsson made 24 rescues.
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