Marner snipes OT winner, Crosby dazzles as Canada fends off Sweden in 4 Nations Face-Off opener
Canada earns 2 points for extra-time victory, Sweden collects 1 point
Sidney Crosby feeds off the energy each time he sets foot in the Bell Centre.
The superstar grew up a fan of the Montreal Canadiens and has had some memorable nights inside one of hockey's cathedrals.
"There's a certain feel to it," Crosby said Wednesday morning. "So much history and just the hockey feel that you get being here.
"It's a special place."
He added another spine-tingling chapter hours later.
Crosby had three assists, including the setup on Mitch Marner's winner at 6:06 of 3-on-3 overtime, as Canada edged Sweden 4-3 in a riveting opener to the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
WATCH | Marner's OT marker helps Canada edge Sweden in 4 Nations Face-Off opener:
The country's 37-year-old captain received the loudest ovation before puck drop — until Montreal native and hockey great Mario Lemieux walked out of the tunnel — and then combined with Connor McDavid to set up Nathan MacKinnon's power-play opener just 56 seconds into the first period.
"To have an ovation like that here was really special," said Crosby, whose country has now won 26 games in a row with him in the lineup. "It's something I'll always remember."
Fans in the building chanting his name, and those watching at home, will remember another breathtaking performance from No. 87.
"It's no coincidence, his record when he's wearing a Canadian jersey," said head coach Jon Cooper. "It's not a fluke. He will go down as the greatest player to ever represent this country."
Having already set up two goals, Crosby whipped the puck back to Marner in the neutral zone in a frenetic extra period before heading off on a change.
Marner then darted over the Swedish blue line and ripped a shot upstairs on Filip Gustavsson.
"You tell 10-year-old Mitch he scored an overtime goal, assisted by Sidney Crosby, a guy you looked up to since Day 1 … it's pretty crazy," said the Toronto Maple Leafs winger.
"He's amazing," McDavid added of Crosby. "He's just ageless. It's a credit to him. It's a credit to how much he puts into his work ethic, credit to how he takes care of himself, credit to how smart he is out there. Just gets it done time and time again. And he did that again tonight."
WATCH | Montreal ready to play host as 4 Nations Face-Off begins:
Brad Marchand and Mark Stone had the other goals for the Canadians, who got 23 saves from Jordan Binnington in NHL players' return to high-level international competition.
Jonas Brodin, Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek replied for the Swedes. Gustavsson stopped 24 shots. Lucas Raymond chipped in two assists.
Canada, which lost defenceman Shea Theodore for the rest of the tournament when he took a hit in the second period, earned two points in the standings for the extra-time victory. The Scandinavians secured one for the loss after regulation.
"We'll take the point and move forward," Swedish captain Victor Hedman said. "Really happy with the way we were playing most of the night. It was a phenomenal atmosphere."
The United States and Finland meet Thursday in those countries' first games at the round-robin event that's serving as an appetizer ahead of the NHL's return to the Olympics in 2026.
The 4 Nations represents the closest men's hockey has come to a best-on-best event since the 2016 World Cup. The NHL went to five straight Olympics between 1998 and 2014 before skipping the 2018 Games for financial reasons and scuttling plans in 2022 because of COVID-19 concerns.
Russia isn't part of this tournament because of its ongoing war in Ukraine, while reigning world champion Czechia is also on the outside looking in due to a competition-compressed window.
The 4 Nations will see four games at the Bell Centre before the showcase shifts to Boston for two more contests and the Feb. 20 final.
After deafening ovations for Crosby and Lemieux — and a rousing rendition of "O Canada" ahead of Wednesday's opening faceoff — Canada struck on that man advantage just 56 seconds into the first period.
WATCH | Canada, U.S. players focused on hockey despite tarrif tensions:
McDavid fed Crosby down low before he quickly found MacKinnon, a fellow Cole Harbour, N.S., product, in front with a slick no-look pass on a lethal first-unit power play that also includes Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar.
"That was amazing," MacKinnon said. "Ton of adrenalin and goose bumps."
Marchand made it 2-0 at 13:15 on a 2-on-1 with Brayden Point. The Boston Bruins captain — another Nova Scotian and usually public enemy No. 1 in Montreal — had his name cheered, along with a smattering of boos, when the scoring play was announced in the building.
The Swedes got on the board at 9:33 of the second when Brodin fired a shot by Binnington's ear.
The Swedes continued to carry the play as the period wore on until Crosby went back to work.
An injury concern ahead of the tournament, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain raced into the offensive zone before finding a hard-charging Stone for him to bury a shot five-hole and once again blow the roof off the frothing rink.
Kempe cut the deficit to 3-2 at 1:54 of the third off the rush on a shot. Canada's crease was a significant talking point coming into the 4 Nations with Binnington, Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault having all had less-than stellar campaigns for their NHL teams.
"Make the saves that you're supposed to make, maybe slide in one that you're not," Cooper said of his message to Binnington. "That's what he did."
Eriksson Ek got Sweden back on level terms at 8:59 at the lip of Canada's crease.
Gustavsson then made a huge saves on Devon Toews and Makar before Canada had to kill a Josh Morrissey penalty for high-sticking to set up the dramatic finish that included chances at both ends.
"Amazing energy in this building," MacKinnon said. "Definitely the coolest I've ever been a part of."
