Canada Drops Final Round-Robin Game

By: Sean Kelly – OIH Correspondent

Canada looked to clinch first place in Group B with a win over Sweden Tuesday afternoon.

Sweden had similar aspirations.

A 4-2 Sweden victory moves the Swedes ahead of Canada for the first seed of Group B and a bye into the semi-finals.

Nick Cousins (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) opened the scoring midway through the first period for his third of the tournament.  After a scoreless second period, Ryan Murphy (Kitchener, OHL) scored to start the third period giving Canada the two goal advantage.

Sweden responded shortly after with a goal by Linus Froberg.  Gustav Bjorkland, and Oscar Klebom added tallies to take the lead scoring barely 30 seconds apart just over the mid-point of the third.  Joachim Nermark added an empty net goal as Sweden rallied in the third period to score four unanswered.

Goaltender Niklas Lundstrom stopped all 20 shots he faced to earn the win.  Malcolm Subban (Belleville, OHL) made 33 saves in his first loss of the tournament.

Canada will now play in the quarter finals against host team Germany on Thursday April 19.  The German team finished the round robin with a record of 1-3 finishing in third place.  The United States finishes at the top of Group A earning a bye into the semi-finals.