Silver Medal

Axel Jonsson-Fjällby and Team Sweden won silver at the WJC. Sweden captain Lias Andersson threw his medal into the stands.

Friday night, Canada defeated Sweden 3-1 to capture gold in the 2018 World Junior Championship. For Canada, it’s their second gold medal in their last four tournaments.

In front of an overwhelmingly Canadian crowd at Buffalo’s Key Bank Center, rarely-used forward Tyler Steenbergen scored the game-winning goal with 1:40 left in the third period after both teams exchanged tallies in the second period. Canada’s Alex Formenton added an empty-net goal.

The medal ceremony was wild.

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By Ian Oland 4 years ago

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Photo: aftonbladet.se

Prior to Brynäs’s preseason game against Djurgården on Thursday, Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom took to his hometown ice and was given an Olympic silver medal. Federal Chairman Christer Englund gave Backstrom the award while flanked by national team coach Per Mårts by his side. The crowd gave Nicky a standing ovation.

Nearly six months to the day, Backstrom finally felt “vindication” after getting banned from the gold medal game for taking too much allergy medicine.

After the ceremony, Backstrom spoke to Swedish outlets about how happy he was that this drama is finally over.

The wonderful Matilda Wrigsjö has your translation.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Nicklas Backstrom Finally Receives His Olympic Silver Medal From Sochi

Photo: @MalinElis

In late February, as Swedish center Nicklas Backstrom prepared for one of the biggest games of his career, he learned he tested positive for a banned substance, Zyrtec D, an allergy medication.

Backstrom was barred from playing against Canada in the Sochi Olympics gold-medal game. He watched from the sidelines as his teammates got shut out 3-0. He suffered through a miserable press conference after the game and then another in Washington DC when he returned to North America for NHL action.

On March 14th, the International Olympic Committee ruled that Backstrom had suffered enough and that the gold medal game suspension was a sufficient punishment.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Nicklas Backstrom to IOC: FedEx Me My Silver Medal

When the International Olympic Committee banned Nicklas Backstrom from the Sochi gold medal game last month, it seemed doubtful the Swede would receive the sliver medal awarded to the rest of his teammates.

Following an appeal, however, the IOC has relented under pressure. Announcing the news Friday afternoon, they ruled that Backstrom had no intention of taking Zyrtec D as a performance enhancer and decided to award him a silver medal after all.

Following the Capitals’ 4-3 win over the Canucks, Backstrom spoke about the decision for the first time.

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By Chris Gordon 7 years ago

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Marcus Johansson Receives Silver Medal in Sochi (GIF)

Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson may have been devastated after Sweden’s 3-0 loss to Canada, but he accomplished a lot in his first Olympic tournament. He recorded one assist in five games and won a silver medal. That’s nothing to sneeze at. Teemu Selanne, the greatest Olympic scorer of all-time, has won three bronze medals and one solitary silver.

Johansson was one of the last players to receive his medal. He looked heartbroken as he accepted his prize from an IIHF official.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Ovechkin, Semin and Varlamov End Year With Devastating Loss In World Championships Gold Medal Game To Czech Republic

Alex Semin cries after receiving his silver medal.

Today, Russia’s 27 game World Championships winning streak came to a devastating end in a post-olympic rematch against Jaromir Jagr’s Czech Republic team. And much like the match in the Olympics earlier in the year, the pivotal play of today’s World Championships gold medal game was a huge Alex Ovechkin hit. But this time, it was the Russian Machine accidentally laying out and injuring one of his own teammates, Sergei Fedorov (above), which led to Tomas Rolinek’s game winning goal in the second period. Riding stellar goaltending from Tomas Vokoun and an incredible team defense, the Czechs took a 2 goal lead into the third period that they would never relinquish. Our beloved Ruskies fall to the Czech Republic 2-1. Silver has never tasted so bitter.

Like one would expect, the Russians came out and played with fire. But much like the Canadiens/Capitals series, most of Russia’s chances came from the perimeter. And the Czechs waited and pounced on any mistakes Russia made. A sense of real urgency only revealed itself towards the end of the third period. And by then it was too late for Russia.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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