Tkachuk wears Sweden's colors to pay off bet with Flames teammate

CALGARY -- The blue and yellow of Sweden were looking quite good on Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk.

Tkachuk lost a bet to Swedish teammate Mikael Backlund and wore blue-and-yellow garb (hat and T-shirt) in the Flames' dressing room after practice Friday at Scotiabank Saddledome. Backlund won their bet on the outcome of the semifinal game between the United States and Sweden in the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship on Thursday in Buffalo.
Sweden won 4-2 despite a goal by Matthew's younger brother, Brady Tkachuk, so he quickly settled up.

"I was very confident but the U.S. kind of had a tough one a day, or two days before, against Russia, so I don't know if they were a little tired," Matthew Tkachuk said. "But they let me down a little bit.
"If I lose to anybody, I'm happy it was to Backs and the Swedes."
Brady Tkachuk also scored a goal against Canada on Dec. 29 in a 4-3 shootout victory for the United States in an outdoor game played at New Era Field, home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, then paid homage to Flames forward Jaromir Jagr by copying Jagr's goal salute.
"I loved it," Matthew said. "I showed Jags and he liked it too."