MONTREAL - Mitch Marner scored at 6:06 of 3-on-3 overtime as Canada edged Sweden 4-3 to open the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament Wednesday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs winger ended a back-and-forth extra period where both teams had plenty of chances to secure the win when he ripped a shot upstairs on Filip Gustavsson.
Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand and Mark Stone had the other goals for the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøs, who got 23 saves from Jordan Binnington. Sidney Crosby added three assists in NHL players' return to high-level international competition.
Jonas Brodin, Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek replied for the Swedes. Gustavsson stopped 24 shots. Lucas Raymond chipped in two assists.
Canada earned two points in the standings for the extra-time victory, while Sweden secured one for the loss after regulation.
The United States and Finland meet Thursday in those countries' first games at the round-robin event that's serving as an appetizer ahead of the NHL's return to the Olympics in 2026.
The 4 Nations represents the closest men's hockey has come to a best-on-best event since the 2016 World Cup. The NHL went to five straight Olympics between 1998 and 2014 before skipping the 2018 Games for financial reasons and scuttling plans in 2022 because of COVID-19 concerns.
Russia isn't part of this tournament because of its ongoing war in Ukraine, while reigning world champion Czechia is also on the outside looking in due to a competition-compressed window.
The 4 Nations will see four games at the Bell Centre before the showcase shifts to Boston for two more contests and the Feb. 20 final.
After a deafening ovations for Crosby and Mario Lemieux — and a rousing rendition of "O Canada" ahead of Wednesday's opening faceoff — Canada struck on a power play just 56 seconds into the first period.Â
Connor McDavid fed Crosby down low before he quickly found MacKinnon, a fellow Cole Harbour, N.S., product, in front with a slick no-look pass on a lethal first-unit power play that also includes Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar.
Marchand made it 2-0 at 13:15 of the opening period on a 2-on-1 with Brayden Point. The Boston Bruins captain — another Nova Scotian and usually public enemy No. 1 in Montreal — had his name cheered, along with a smattering of boos, when the scoring play was announced in the building.
Sweden finally got its first shot on target with more than 15 minutes gone when Gustav Forsling snapped a puck into Binnington's glove.
The Scandivians got on the board at 9:33 of the second when Brodin fired a shot by the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø netminder's ear.
The Swedes continued to carry the play as the period wore on until Crosby went back to work.
Canada's 37-year-old captain — an injury concern ahead of the tournament — raced into the offensive zone before stopping up and finding a hard-charging Stone for him to bury a shot five-hole on Gustavsson to again blow the roof off the frothing rink.
Kempe cut the deficit to 3-2 at 1:54 of the third off the rush on a shot that flew past Binnington. Canada's crease was a significant talking point coming into the 4 Nations with Binnington, Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault having all had less-than stellar campaigns for their NHL teams.
Eriksson Ek got Sweden back on level terms at 8:59 on a Jesper Bratt setup at the lip of Canada's crease.
Gustavsson then made a huge saves on Devon Toews and Makar before Canada had to kill a Josh Morrissey penalty for high-sticking to set up the dramatic finish.
THEODORE OUT
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø defenceman Shea Theodore left in the second period and didn't return after taking a clean hit from Kempe.
WORLD CUP
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players' Association chief Marty Walsh announced before the game that the league will hold a World Cup in 2028. The aim is to stage the event each even non-Olympic year in hopes of having best-on-best tournaments every 24 months from the 2026 Games onward.
BOO BIRDS
U.S. captain Auston Matthews was lustily booed during the pre-game ceremony that also featured Finnish counterpart Aleksander Barkov along with Lemieux, Teemu Selanne, Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Richter.
GOOD VIBES
Crosby spoke Wednesday morning about his love for the Bell Centre's atmosphere he's experienced playing against the Montreal Canadiens with his Pittsburgh Penguins.
"There's a certain feel to it," he said. "So much history and just the hockey feel that you get being here.
"It's a special place."Â
This report by ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø was first published Feb. 12, 2025.
