And it was a big game, a 6-5 shootout win that gave Sweden first place in Group B and a direct berth to Monday’s semi-final round. Canada will have to play in a quarter-final on Sunday. The opposition was not immediately known, pending the results of Friday’s late game action.
Oscar Lindberg and Anton Lander scored in the shootout for Sweden, silencing a rabidly pro-Canadian crowd at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. Both of Canada’s shooters — Ryan Ellis and Brayden Schenn — were stopped.
It was a shaky night for Canadian goaltender Olivier Roy, who allowed five goals on 41 shots in regulation. Robin Lehner was just as wobbly, giving up five on 34 shots, but he made the two that mattered most in the end.