News & Notes: World Cup Day 5

CANADA, SWEDEN CLINCH GROUP TITLES; SEMIFINAL SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

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NORTH AMERICA WINS GAME, SWEDEN CLINCHES GROUP IN OT THRILLER

Nathan MacKinnon
scored on a skillful deke at 4:11 of overtime
when Team North America defeated Team Sweden 4-3 in a thrilling conclusion to the teams' round robin schedule. Team Sweden, who received a sterling 45-save effort from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, clinched Group B and advanced to the semifinals with the one point it earned with the overtime loss. Team North America's playoff fate hinges on the result of the Group B finale between Team Finland and Team Russia on Thursday. (For clinching scenarios, see below).
* MacKinnon's highlight-reel winner was the 87th shot on goal of the wide-open contest (Team North America 49, Team Sweden 38), the most ever in a World Cup of Hockey game. The previous high was 86, set by Canada-Sweden in 1996 and Czech Republic-Germany in 2004.

MUST SEE: Team North America defenseman Morgan Rielly

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* Lundqvist, who made 36 saves in defeating Finland 2-0 on Tuesday, made 81 saves on back-to-back days after missing the first game of the tournament because of an illness.
* After being denied by Lundqvist on a penalty-shot attempt in the opening minute of the game, Team North America forward Johnny Gaudreau
converted on a breakaway
for his second goal of the tournament. He later earned an assist on MacKinnon's overtime winner.
* The North America-Sweden result eliminated Team Finland from semifinal contention.

DID YOU KNOW?

Team North America's opening two goals against Sweden, scored at 0:30 (Auston Matthews) and 1:35 (Vincent Trocheck) of the first period, were the fastest two goals to start a World Cup of Hockey game (by one team or both teams). Matthews' goal was 0:04 shy of fastest in World Cup history (0:26), a mark shared by Adam Deadmarsh (USA) against Russia on Sept. 2, 1996 and Pat LaFontaine (USA) against Russia on Sept. 8, 1996.

TEAM CANADA CAPTURES GROUP A IN FIRST-PLACE SHOWDOWN WITH TEAM EUROPE

Jonathan Toews had a pair of goals, including the game-winner, and an assist when Team Canada defeated Team Europe 4-1 and clinched first place in Group A. Canada finished round robin play with a 3-0-0 record -- the only undefeated team among the eight World Cup contestants -- and outscored the opposition 14-3. It will play the second-place finisher in Group B, either Team North America or Team Russia, in the semifinals.
* Toews leads all World Cup of Hockey goal-scorers (three) and his four points is tied for the tournament lead with teammates Sidney Crosby (2-2--4) and Matt Duchene (2-2--4), Team North America forward Johnny Gaudreau (2-2--4) and Team North America defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (0-4--4).
* Team Canada outshot Team Europe 46-20 and has 130 shots in its three round robin games, an average of 43.3 per game.

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SNEAK PEEK AT ACTION THURSDAY

All Times Eastern
Team Finland @ Team Russia, 3 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVA Sports
Team USA @ Team Czech Republic, 8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, TVA Sports

CLINCHING SCENARIO FOR THURSDAY

* Team Russia will clinch second place in Group B and a game against Team Canada in the semifinals if it defeats Team Finland in any fashion. A loss to Finland in any fashion will eliminate Russia and send Team North America to the semifinals against Team Canada as the second-place finisher in Group B.
Click here
to view the standings through five days of the World Cup of Hockey 2016.

FAN VILLAGE SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY

The Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village is open Thursday from 2 - 11 p.m.
* Visit
WCH2016.com/fanvillage
for complete details.

FAN VILLAGE PLAYS HOST TO STEM INITIATIVE FOR TORONTO-AREA STUDENTS

Students from schools across the Greater Toronto Area will participate in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) Career Panel Discussion and International Scavenger Hunt at Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday.
Among the attendees will be Colonel Chris Hadfield, Canadian astronaut; Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner; Don Fehr, National Hockey League Players' Association Executive Director; and Brad Boyes, NHL alumnus.
The initiative is part of the third annual launch of the NHL & NHLPA Future Goals program, the world's largest digital STEM education initiative. Since its launch in 2014, nearly 1 million students from more than 6,500 schools across North America have been trained in the free online course -- Hockey Scholar -- which uses hockey to teach STEM concepts.

LOOSE PUCKS

Team Sweden defenseman Erik Karlsson had a pair of assists, figuring in the goals that lifted it from a 3-1 deficit to a 3-3 tie . . . Team North America defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere had three assists, raising his tournament-leading total to four . . . Team Canada goaltender Corey Crawford made his first appearance in the tournament and stopped 19 of 20 shots for the win . . . The Calgary Flames announced they will
wear their classic red and yellow retro uniform
as its third jersey for a dozen dates in 2016-17 . . . The National Hockey League Coaches' Association (NHLCA) announced the hiring of Michael Hirshfeld to the position of Executive Director, effective immediately. Hirshfeld succeeds George Kingston, who recently announced his retirement.