Alexis Lafreniere scored in overtime to give Canada a 3-2 win over Sweden and first place in Group A. Canada faces the Czechs in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Defenceman Ryan Merkley, who totalled two assists, slid the puck from the center point to Lafreniere, who was alone in front and put home his own rebound
at 2:27.

In regulation, Chase Wouters and Raphael Lavoie scored for Canada. Defenceman Adam Boqvist had both goals for Sweden, which came second in the group. The Swedes will face Slovakia in the quarter-

finals.

Canada has won four straight games, while Sweden suffered its first loss of the
tournament. But no one's dwelling on that with the do-and-die games looming.

The other quarter-finals feature Russia versus the United States and Finland versus Belarus.

This gritty defensive battle featured a fine goaltending duel between Sweden's Olof Lindbom and Canada's Olivier Rodrigue. Canada outshot the Swedes 40-31.

The two teams set a fierce tempo from the outset, but Canada ran into early penalty woes, and it was Sweden that cashed in on a 4-on-4 at 10:27. Samuel Fagemo left a sneaky drop pass for Jacob

Olofsson, who found Bogvist coming late, and he whizzed the puck over Rodrigue's glove from the left faceoff circle.

In the second period, Canada kept coming, undaunted. Just after a Canadian power play had expired, Dellandrea dropped the puck to Lavoie at the top of the
left faceoff circle, and he one-timed his

team-leading fifth goal past Lindbom low to the stick side to make it 1-1 at 6:39.

Both teams mounted flurries late in the second, Canada's coming with Swedish captain Adam Ginning in the box for tripping for the last two minutes. But no one could find the range.

On a Swedish turnover, Lavoie had a fabulous chance to put Canada up at the start of the third, but Lindbom stoned him on the doorstep with the left pad.

Canada took a 2-1 lead at 8:15 on a goal off the rush that combined finesse and
determination. Crossing the blue line, Merkley accepted a pass from Lafreniere and found Wouters going to the net for

the backhanded tip.

Lindbom sparkled with a blocker save on a pinching Kevin Bahl to keep it a one-goal game with under seven minutes left in regulation.

As Sweden pushed, the Canadians blocked shots ferociously down the stretch. The
Smakronorna had a golden opportunity for the equalizer with a late 4-on-3 power
play and they capitalized at 18:26.

Boqvist's centre point shot caught a stick and knocked Rodrigue's water bottle off as the Swedes celebrated the 2-2 marker.

Rodrigue stoned Boqvist in the first minute of overtime. Seconds later, Sweden's Jonatan Berggren was called for tripping, and Canada secured victory with the man advantage.

This has been a remarkably even U18 rivalry over the years. Canada's victory gives it an all-time edge of eight wins to seven. The Swedes eliminated Canada from gold-medal contention in the 2016

semi-finals and the 2017 quarter-finals. However, Canada has three U18 gold medals all-time to none for Sweden.

Now it's showtime as these young men truly begin to forge their reputations on the international stage.

LUCAS AYKROYD

http://u18worlds2018.iihf.hockey/en/news/swe-can/
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