The Four Nations tourney kicked off today with Canada matching up against Sweden. Hockey fans have been waiting almost 10 years for this exciting world best on best tournament and it did not disappoint. Canada got off and running with a multi goal first period but the underdog ‘Three Crowns” Sweden ended up taking this opener to an overtime thriller and BOY was it exciting! Let’s dive in.

It did not start well for Sweden, with William Nylander taking a high sticking penalty just 54 seconds in putting the top power play unit for Canada on the ice. Guys, girls, humans, this top Canada power play has Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and last but not least Sam Reinhart. We are talking about not one, but 4 of the most electric superstars in the NHL, all on the ice on the same team. Listen, I’m still taking my USA boys to be wearing those gold medals around their necks but that power play is crazy banana bonkers if I do say so myself. That top power play for Canada put it in the back of the net taking all of 11 seconds with the man advantage on a wicked no look backhanded pass from Sid to Mackinnon for the 1-0 lead. Barely a week ago it wasn’t even a sure thing that Crosby, 37 years old, was even going to play for Canada..sheesh.

The goals slowed down over the next 13 minutes or so but the pace of play was very strong. There was no room anywhere on the ice with every player pushing themselves with their countries at their backs. Every pass slightly too hard, multiple shots missing the net, little things really showing intensity getting to the players a bit until they get a chance to settle into this world spotlight. I really liked the neutral zone play, there just was no room for playmaking besides seemingly for McDavid and MacKinnon who looked like they had jet boosters attached to their skates. Neither would be a part of the second goal though, as a strong breakout from Canada and a misstep from Sweden’s Victor Hedman put Brayden Point and Brad Marchand on a 2 on 1 chance that saw patient Point wait out Sweden’s goalie to setup Marchand for a wide open net and a 2-0 lead for Canada.

I just need to say, it really hurt me to have to put that Marchand pic there. Anyways, let’s move on, please. Despite a couple good chances for each country, the 1st period ended at 2-0 in favor of Canada. Sweden got off to a strong start in the 2nd period with a good amount of time spent in Canada’s zone. They were kept to the outside due to Canada’s strong defensive effort but they got some shots to the net while the hitting started. If the 1st period was lightning fast, the 2nd period was loud and physical with hard checks from both countries. Sweden’s Lucas Raymond had the first great scoring chance in the 2nd with Binnington barely saving Raymond’s backhand with the knob of his goalie stick. Damn that would’ve been a sick goal. Raymond would get his hands in on Sweden’s first goal though, after battling below the net and coming up with the puck, he bounced a nice pass off the boards to the captain Hedman who sent it cross ice to Brodin. Brodin caught and released a wicked snapper top cheese over Binnington’s left shoulder. Whoo-wee what’s better than a bar down goal?? Just like that, Sweden is within one halfway though the second period. They kept the pressure up as well with Binnington the only reason Sweden didn’t get a quick tying goal off a net front tip chance from Rakell. I really liked Rakell’s game through the first 2 periods and he was throwing the body as well. Atta boy.

Canada would score to make it 3-1 at the end of the second off a hard working shift from old man Sid dishing to Mark Stone but I thought Sweden was the better team this period. They really kept that rolling in the third and final frame. Down 3-1 in the 3rd, Sweden needed to come alive if they had any hope to tie this game. They did just that. Nearly 2 minutes in Adrian Kempe took a dandy of a pass from none other than Erik Karlsson and buried it from the slot bringing the Swedes back within 1 goal. All game it seemed Kempe was everywhere at once and was rewarded for it. Momentum really shifted with that second goal from the Swedes as they settled into the game finally and stunned the Montreal crowd with a game tying goal from Joel Eriksson Ek halfway through the 3rd period. A big face off win from the eventual goal scorer in Ek, Raymond would get the puck and fake the shot, going down low to Bratt before Bratt finished the perfect tic-tac-toe passing to Ek on the backdoor. Before the 3rd was over though, Swedish goalie Erik Gustafsson made the save of the game on Devon Toews to keep it tied.

Look at this freeze frame. Yea. That didn’t go in the net.

This exciting opening night tilt would need extra time. Now, if you were to tell me you weren’t putting your money down on the home Canada boys in this sudden death period, you better get in that time machine again and double check because this game ended just as the odds said it would. Sweden’s Zibanejad and Nylander would each have beautiful chances to end it in overtime but Canada comes in clutch with just under 4 minutes remaining as who other than Sidney Crosby would make a play, dropping it off to Mr. Pass First himself Mitch Marner rifling a wrister from 30 feet out over the blocker of Gustafsson.

What a classic to open this best on best tourney, if you missed it you gotta check the highlights as the energy and pace of play in this game was on point from start to finish. Thursday we will get our first look at the rosters from Finland and USA in action. They drop the puck at 5PM PST and if the first game showed us anything, it’s that you are not gonna want to miss this.