Three-on-three overtime at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey continues to be the gift that keeps on giving.
In an exhilarating game between the highly skilled North American squad and consistently impressive Team Sweden on Wednesday, a tie after 60 minutes of regulation meant we’d get more batshit insane three-on-three overtime. This particular overtime was extra wild.
With just over a minute left in the OT period, on a two-on-one, North America’s Nathan MacKinnon snapped a shot high glove side, which was routinely saved by Henrik Lundqvist. Sweden recovered behind the net and Erik Karlsson sprung Daniel Sedin on a clear-cut breakaway. Sedin shot the puck low blocker side on John Gibson, but was robbed by the sprawling goalie. Canada picked up the puck and skilled sniper Johnny Gaudreau took a clear shot at Lundqvist, missing the net. Gaudreau recovered the puck with two Swedes on him and made a nifty forward pass to MacKinnon who deked Lundqvist out of his goalie gear on a filthy deke and backhander. Hoo, boy.
It’s the type of end-to-end, unpredictable hockey which makes three-on-three overtime so euphoric. With two immensely skilled teams, the period turned into a breakaway contest, finished by an incredible pass and an even better finish. Plug this into my veins.
Sweden advances to the semis grabbing a single point in the loss, while North America’s fate hangs on Finland beating Russia tonight.
