Sweden scored the final two goals Sunday to defeat the United States 4-2 in the bronze medal game of the World Championships in Berne, Switzerland. Carl Gunnarsson scored midway through the third period on a power play, with American David Backes off for tripping, and Sweden added Johnny Oduya’s empty-net goal with one second to play. Sweden’s first three goals were with a man advantage.Jack Johnson scored a second-period goal for the U.S. and Joe Pavelski scored unassisted two minutes into the third. The U.S. led 30-28 in shots on goal. Matt Niskanen of Virginia was a defenseman for the U.S. Live stats are here. Canada faces Russia for the gold medal.
A recap from the IIHF Web site:
BERNE – It wasn’t a “Miracle on Ice” for either team, but it was a medal for one of them. Sweden defeated the United States 4-2 to capture the bronze at PostFinance Arena on Sunday. Carl Gunnarsson scored the third-period winner.
Loui Eriksson, Tony Martensson, and Johnny Oduya also scored for Sweden. Jack Johnson and Joe Pavelski replied for the USA.
Stefan Liv took over in goal for Sweden in lieu of Jonas Gustavsson, who left the tournament to be with his ailing mother. Liv also backstopped Tre Kronor in its 2002 bronze medal victory. Veteran Robert Esche got his eighth start in nine games for the USA. The Americans outshot Sweden 39-28.
With the win, Sweden increased its all-time World Championship record versus the United States to 38 wins, 14 losses, and five ties. After a pair of fourth-place finishes, it is Sweden’s first medal at this tournament since capturing gold in Latvia 2006.
The USA has not won a medal since 2004’s bronze in the Czech Republic.
Esche had to be sharp early on, stopping Johan Harju’s quick, close-in release. At the other end, Jason Blake nearly dipsydoodled his way down the right side to an American goal, and Dustin Brown tried the same move on the left.
An unusual sight occurred 5:33 in when Sweden’s Linus Omark was sent off for high-sticking, while Johnson accompanied him for continuing to play after his helmet had been knocked off.
Play bogged down as the period wore on. The crowd of 11,239 offered polite applause after good plays, exploding into whistles when the USA’s David Backes (still the villain among local fans for the hit that injured Switzerland’s Julien Sprunger) was penalized near the end of the period.
Johnson finally opened the scoring at 5:14 of the second when his blast from the center point beat Liv.
But the Swedes tied it at 13:24 when Tony Martensson centered it right in front to Eriksson, who snapped it past Esche’s blocker.
The yellow-and-blue squad started to pour it on after that. At 15:57, Martensson made it 2-1 on a two-man advantage with Eriksson and Johnson clogging up Esche’s crease.
Tempers flared and helmets littered the ice during a big scrum around the Swedish net with a minute left in the middle frame. As the PA blared the “Rocky” theme, a touch of emotion entered the game.
The Americans drew even at 2:15 of the third on a pretty goal. Pavelski took the puck end-to-end, cutting through Swedish defenders and lifting a shot from the left faceoff circle over a surprised Liv’s glove.
With nine minutes left and Backes in the box, Gunnarson tallied the winner on a slapper from the blueline that went over Esche’s left shoulder.
Esche tried to keep his team in it, foiling Kristian Huselius when the slick Swedish attacker got behind the American defence.
But the Americans failed to capitalize with the man advantage after Mattias Weindhandl took an interference minor. The clock ticked down and the Swedish fans joyously chanted: "Sverige!"
Despite a late flurry, a pair of ill-advised cross-checking penalties to Ryan Suter and Dustin Brown in the Swedish end sealed things. Just before the final buzzer, Oduya popped one in the empty American net with Esche pulled for the extra attacker, and the extra flourish he added prompted some hard feelings.
Suter was named the USA’s Player of the Game, and Liv was chosen for Sweden.
The USA lost both of its previous bronze medal meetings with Sweden (7-2 in 1994, 3-2 in 2001).