photo: Tim Austen/IIHF
The last time these countries played at the U18 was just last year, Canada winning the semi-finals meeting, 5-4, en route to gold.
The last time they faced off for U18 gold? Never!
The teams are ranked 1-2 in goals scored here in Frisco. Sweden has put the puck in the net 40 times and Canada 36. The greater difference, however, is goals allowed. Canada ranks first in this category, having conceded a mere seven goals in six games. Sweden, on the other hand, have allowed a whopping 21 goals in six games, and for all their firepower have also been suspect on defence.
That being said, goalie Love Harenstam has been sensational for Sweden in his last two games, saving Sweden’s bacon as the skaters go sometimes recklessly after goals. Jack Ivankovic, on the other hand, has been the picture of steady and reliable for Canada. In five games, he has allowed just six goals and leads the tournament with a 1.27 goals-against average.
As for that Swedish firepower, they have seven players in the top 16 scoring leaders, starting with Filip Ekberg and Sascha Boumedienne. Ekberg leads with 10 goals and 18 points, while Boumedienne’s 13 assists is one off Mikhail Grigorenko’s record of 14 from 2011. Ekberg’s 10 goals, meanwhile, is tied for 5th-most all time for one tournament. Second in goals is teammate Ivar Stenberg (8), who is third in the scoring race with 13 points.
Canada has five players in the top 16, led by captain Braeden Cootes (5+6=11), who also leads all players in faceoff wins, with an impressive 74 per cent success rate. One telling statistic for scoring is that Canada’s defenders have scored an incredible 10 goals of the team’s 36, while Sweden’s blueliners have only two of their 40.
Special teams are another area of significant difference. Both teams lead the tournament with a whopping 11 power-play goals, but Canada has surrendered only two, which is the most effective PK in the tournament at 90 per cent, while Sweden has allowed seven, tied for sixth, or 70 per cent.
Curiously, Canada and Sweden are also 1-2 in penalty minutes. Canada has the most, 73, although 25 of that number comes from Brady Martin’s 5+20 in the semi-finals against Slovakia. Sweden is right behind, with 70 minutes, including a 10-minute misconduct from Torkel Jennersjo towards the end of the Finland game in the quarters.
All of the numbers favour Canada, which is a perfect 6-0 so far. They have scored the first goal in five of their games, while Sweden, 5-1, have scored first in all of their games. But coach Thomas Paananen made a telling comment after yesterday’s dramatic win over the Americans when he said that, “the first goal for us today changed the tone of the game.”
It was a goal that energized the team, gave them confidence, enriched their belief that they could slay the dragon. And so it might be that special teams decide the game for gold, or that Canada’s defence has the ability to shut down Sweden’s offence. But it might also be the confidence that comes from scoring first and giving that team the belief they can win that ultimately decides who gets the greater glory tonight.
The last time they faced off for U18 gold? Never!
The teams are ranked 1-2 in goals scored here in Frisco. Sweden has put the puck in the net 40 times and Canada 36. The greater difference, however, is goals allowed. Canada ranks first in this category, having conceded a mere seven goals in six games. Sweden, on the other hand, have allowed a whopping 21 goals in six games, and for all their firepower have also been suspect on defence.
That being said, goalie Love Harenstam has been sensational for Sweden in his last two games, saving Sweden’s bacon as the skaters go sometimes recklessly after goals. Jack Ivankovic, on the other hand, has been the picture of steady and reliable for Canada. In five games, he has allowed just six goals and leads the tournament with a 1.27 goals-against average.
As for that Swedish firepower, they have seven players in the top 16 scoring leaders, starting with Filip Ekberg and Sascha Boumedienne. Ekberg leads with 10 goals and 18 points, while Boumedienne’s 13 assists is one off Mikhail Grigorenko’s record of 14 from 2011. Ekberg’s 10 goals, meanwhile, is tied for 5th-most all time for one tournament. Second in goals is teammate Ivar Stenberg (8), who is third in the scoring race with 13 points.
Canada has five players in the top 16, led by captain Braeden Cootes (5+6=11), who also leads all players in faceoff wins, with an impressive 74 per cent success rate. One telling statistic for scoring is that Canada’s defenders have scored an incredible 10 goals of the team’s 36, while Sweden’s blueliners have only two of their 40.
Special teams are another area of significant difference. Both teams lead the tournament with a whopping 11 power-play goals, but Canada has surrendered only two, which is the most effective PK in the tournament at 90 per cent, while Sweden has allowed seven, tied for sixth, or 70 per cent.
Curiously, Canada and Sweden are also 1-2 in penalty minutes. Canada has the most, 73, although 25 of that number comes from Brady Martin’s 5+20 in the semi-finals against Slovakia. Sweden is right behind, with 70 minutes, including a 10-minute misconduct from Torkel Jennersjo towards the end of the Finland game in the quarters.
All of the numbers favour Canada, which is a perfect 6-0 so far. They have scored the first goal in five of their games, while Sweden, 5-1, have scored first in all of their games. But coach Thomas Paananen made a telling comment after yesterday’s dramatic win over the Americans when he said that, “the first goal for us today changed the tone of the game.”
It was a goal that energized the team, gave them confidence, enriched their belief that they could slay the dragon. And so it might be that special teams decide the game for gold, or that Canada’s defence has the ability to shut down Sweden’s offence. But it might also be the confidence that comes from scoring first and giving that team the belief they can win that ultimately decides who gets the greater glory tonight.