With less than 10 minutes left in the game, the Canadian hockey players were unable to force an overtime period.
Sweden’s leading scorer, Lukas Wallmark, scored his fifth goal of the competition with a precise shot over goalkeeper Matt Tomkins’ right shoulder, following a questionable pass from Jack McBain.
The Canadian forward was trying to get the puck to a teammate behind him, but it was intercepted by Wallmark.
Sweden added an empty net goal.
A duel of guardians
Until then, no one had been able to register in the score, despite good scoring opportunities on both sides.
Tomkins was chosen by head coach Claude Julien to defend the Canadian net. He had to report early in the game when his team had a player in the penalty box.
At the other end of the rink, Lars Johansson also made important saves in the first period to preserve the tie during a power play for Canada.
The scenario repeated itself in the first seconds of the second engagement. Still enjoying a numerical superiority, the Canadians knocked on the door, but the Swedish goalkeeper remained solid.
Lars Johansson
Photo : afp via getty images / ANTONIN THUILLIER
What looked like a duel of goalkeepers continued throughout the middle period. Sweden, which has largely led Canada in scoring opportunities, came close to getting in on the scoring.
First, Mathias Brome hit the puck in the air when Tomkins was making a move, in vain. Then, in quick succession, Pontus Holmberg and captain Anton Lander had golden chances to break the tie, but the Canadian keeper had the last laugh.
The Canadians were playing their third game in four days as they had to play a play-off to advance to the quarter-finals.
More details to come.
