North America beats Sweden in OT, needs help to advance

You have to see this.

It was all systems go for this explosive group of American and Canadian Under 24’s that has captured the imagination of the hockey universe. “Obviously, there was a lot of tension in that overtime period, so I kind of tried to block it out”.

Auston Matthews scored on a 2-on-1 with McDavid 30 seconds in, and Vincent Trocheck made it 2-0 North America 95 seconds in. It’s this that will bring Team North America into this game, and now into facing their toughest challenge yet.

During an incredible 3-on-3 overtime between North America and Sweden, Nathan MacKinnon finds himself all alone in front and undresses Henrik Lundqvist with a nasty toe-drag to secure the OT-win. That still doesn’t explain why you don’t coach like you’re desperate in those final 13 minutes, but the choice was made. Canada and Team Europe have already clinched spots in the final four.

The two teams traded chances and near misses over the remainder of regulation, and Gibson and North America killed off a pair of late Swedish power plays, too.

It helped provide a spotlight for Matthews, who has the size and talent to stir up excitement that this city has not seen in its hockey team in some time.

There was a group flying in from Toronto, including Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews, with Matthews hitting the ground in Montreal with a Blue Jays hat that cameras captured and sent back to Toronto. They’re lucky they’re in a position where goal differential doesn’t come into effect but it’s always nice when you can convincingly put your opponent away on the score sheet. It’s games like this the National Hockey League wants to have on ESPN in front of a humungous crowd. “But this is the best players in the world”.

North America’s Connor McDavid, right, battles for the puck with Sweden’s Erik Karlsson during the first period of a World Cup of Hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016.

Every time Matthews was introduced to the crowd this week, the ovations that followed were among the loudest for any player.

Incredibly, the result is a mixed message for the young guns.

“[North America assistant coach] Dave Tippett has coached more games probably than the rest of our staff put together”, says North America coach Todd McLellan. And they came out really hard.

“I can’t imagine how mentally strong he must be after giving up those two goals and then playing at that level”, Karlsson said.

“We’re happy we won”, forward Mark Scheifele said. I have coached for 5 years and I can honestly tell you I have even grandparents coming up before games and telling me when we need to win by 4 or more goals; or get a shutout, or hope someone else gives up three goals.you get the picture.

At times, Matthews appeared every bit as good as McDavid, although he can not match McDavid’s breakaway speed. It was clear after the game that the Russian’s gained some much-needed confidence in their game and they’re going to need it going forward as the stretch run for the semifinals begins. “I know that. Everybody here knows that. And what the young players are learning and what we kept telling them is they’re pretty damn good”. Aaron Ekblad, the Florida Panthers’ No. 1 pick in 2014, withdrew after only one game because of a suspected concussion.

McDavid had another great scoring chance with less than two minutes to play in the first but was stopped on a breakaway by Lundqvist, who was left to fend for himself often in the opening 20 minutes.

McLellan knows the Maple Leafs management team, and he believes they will strike the right balance between “managing” Matthews and “protecting” him.

Unless, of course, the kids do get to play in the semifinals and produce a Saturday night to remember forever.

Maple Leafs fans are already circling November 1 on the calendar.