CANADA, RUSSIA SQUARE OFF
Final exhibition games are in the books with event starting Saturday
PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin fought to a draw on their home ice.
Canada, however, remains a bit ahead of Russia. At least for now.
Ryan Getzlaf beat Sergei Bobrovsky on a breakaway at 3:29 of overtime to give Team Canada a 3-2 victory over Team Russia in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition on Wednesday night.
Bobrovsky made 45 stops, some of them spectacular, but couldn’t wrangle the puck when Getzlaf slipped it between his pads during the 3-on-3 extra session.
John Tavares and Patrice Bergeron scored for Canada. Crosby assisted on Bergeron’s goal while playing underneath the familiar banners at Consol Energy Center. Carey Price had 24 saves for Canada, which finished 2-1 in exhibitions before the eight-team tournament begins in Toronto on Saturday.
“I think the whole thing with a short tournament event is to keep getting better, keep improving and keep building off each game,” said Crosby, who had two assists in three exhibition games.
“I think we’re able to do that. I think there’s still another level but I’m sure that’s the case for a lot of teams. We need to get to that level gradually.”
Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for Russia. Alexander Ovechkin also scored. Evgeni Malkin assisted on Ovechkin’s goal to match longtime Pittsburgh teammate Crosby.
“We go up against each other a lot,” Malkin said. “He’s tough on the boards protecting puck every time. It’s a hard battle against him. I like how I play too.”
Canada opens the tournament Saturday against the Czech Republic. Russia, which went 1-1-1 in three tuneups, begins on Sunday against Sweden.
Czech Republic 3, North America 2
PITTSBURGH — Tomas Plekanec banked a backhander off Connor Hellebuyck’s pads with just over eight minutes remaining and the Czech Republic held off Team North America 3-2 in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition Wednesday.
North America — comprised of players 23 and under — overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie it midway through the third period on goals by Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere and Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews against Petr Mrazek.
Plekanec answered 53 seconds after Matthews’ goal by taking a feed from Ales Hemsky from behind the net and knocking it off Hellebuyck’s leg and over the goal line for his third goal in as many exhibition games.
Ondrej Palat and Radek Faska also scored for the Czech Republic. Mrazek stopped 17 of the 19 shots he faced after coming in for Michal Neuvirth at the game’s midway point.
Matthew Murray made 16 saves for North America before being replaced by Hellebuyck.
Europe 6, Sweden 2
WASHINGTON — Henrik Lundqvist got the hook after allowing five goals on 22 shots in Sweden’s 6-2 loss to Team Europe on Wednesday in each team’s final exhibition game before the World Cup of Hockey.
Leon Draisaitl had a hat-trick and Tomas Tatar and Thomas Vanek scored on the New York Rangers goaltender. Jacob Markstrom replaced Lundqvist in the third period. European captain Anze Kopitar added an empty-net goal.
Daniel Sedin and Patric Hornqvist scored for Sweden, which opens the World Cup on Sunday against Russia.
Jaroslav Halak stopped 34 shots to solidify the No. 1 goalie job for Europe, which faces the United States on Saturday.