🇸🇪 Sweden 2-1 Canada 🇨🇦 (OT)
Four Nations Cup Preliminary Round
1932 Jack Shea Arena, Lake Placid 🇺🇸
Friday, 07 November 2008

Sweden made history on Friday night in Lake Placid, scoring its first ever victory over Canada in women’s hockey, a 2-1 overtime thriller. The game had no bearing on Canada’s spot in the final at the Four Nations Cup, a spot that it secured on the strength of a 4-2 win over the U.S. on Thursday.

Team Sweden certainly didn’t look like a team looking for its first Four Nations win on Friday night. Playing an energetic and relentless style, the Swedes held the Canadians to only eight shots in the opening period. Sweden had the best chance of the period early, as defenceman Jenni Asserholt intercepted a clearing attempt and had a good shot from the slot that Kim St-Pierre turned aside.

More of the same awaited the Canadians in the second period. Canada did take advantage of two power plays to generate its best offensive sequences of the game. Caroline Ouellette had Canada’s best chance, taking a centering pass from Hayley Wickenheiser as she crashed to the net, but Swedish netminder Sara Grahn held her ground. At 16:16 of the middle frame, Sweden’s energy paid off. On a two-man power play, Elin Holmlöv found a loose puck during a mad scramble in front of the net, and fired the puck over St-Pierre. Sweden had a 1-0 lead, with one period left to play.

Canada finally evened the score mid-way through the third, as defenceman Meaghan Mikkelson fired a hard shot from the point, which beat both goaltender Sara Grahn and a screen set up by Gillian Apps.

In overtime, with Sweden on a power play, Holmlöv took a pass from Winberg in the slot, and one-timed the winner past St-Pierre to secure Sweden what probably amounts to its second biggest triumph in women’s hockey. In 2006, Sweden stunned the U.S. in the Olympic semi-finals to earn a spot in the Gold medal game, where it eventually lost to Canada.

Canada’s National Women’s Team moves on the Gold medal final on Sunday.

BOXSCORE
1st Period
08:06 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Apps, roughing
15:52 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Slusar, interference
17:44 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Rundqvist, body checking

2nd Period
22:45 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Asserholt, cross checking
27:13 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Eliasson, body checking
35:03 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Wickenheiser, hooking
35:52 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Slusar, interference
36:16 – 🇸🇪 PP2 GOAL – Holmlöv (Winberg, Svensson)

3rd Period
44:59 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Rooth, body checking
48:53 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Mikkelson (Wickenheiser)
51:38 – 🇸🇪 PEN – Jordansson, hooking
56:52 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Agosta, hooking
58:12 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Larocque, hooking

Overtime
62:56 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Apps, roughing
63:41 – 🇸🇪 PP GOAL – Holmlöv (Winberg)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇸🇪 Grahn (20-21)
L: 🇨🇦 St-Pierre (27-29)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇸🇪 8+11+10 = 29
🇨🇦 7+8+6 = 21

ROSTERS
🇸🇪 Goaltenders: Sara Grahn, Valentina Lizana, Kim Martin. Defence: Emilia Andersson, Gunilla Andersson, Jenni Asserholt, Emma Eliasson, Johanna Fällman, Frida Nevalainen, Emma Nordin, Chanette Svensson. Forwards: Anna Borgqvist, Tina Enström, Elin Holmlöv, Erika Holst, Isabelle Jordansson, Klara Myrén, Maria Rooth, Danijela Rundqvist, Frida Svedin Thunström, Katarina Timglas, Erica Udén-Johansson, Pernilla Winberg, Cecilia Östberg.
🇨🇦 Goaltenders: Charline Labonté, Kim St-Pierre. Defence: Tessa Bonhomme, Annie Guay, Becky Kellar, Jocelyne Larocque, Meaghan Mikkelson, Caroline Ouellette, Cheryl Pounder, Bobbi Jo Slusar, Catherine Ward. Forwards: Meghan Agosta, Gillian Apps, Jennifer Botterill, Valerie Chouinard, Jayna Hefford, Rebecca Johnston, Gina Kingsbury, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Vaillancourt, Jennifer Wakefield, Hayley Wickenheiser.

Article Credit: Hockey Canada
Photo Credit: CBC – IIHF – HHOF – IOC