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Sweden wins World Hockey Championship in shootout vs. Canada (Video)

By Charlie O'Connor Clarke

Sweden's William Nylander (front) celebrates with Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist after the penalty shootout of the IIHF Men's World Championship Ice Hockey final match between Canada and Sweden in Cologne, western Germany, on May 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Odd ANDERSEN (Photo credit should read ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Sweden's William Nylander (front) celebrates with Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist after the penalty shootout of the IIHF Men's World Championship Ice Hockey final match between Canada and Sweden in Cologne, western Germany, on May 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Odd ANDERSEN (Photo credit should read ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Nicklas Backstrom scored the winner to lift the Tre Kronor over Canada.

Sweden has won gold at the 2017 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Cologne, Germany, after beating defending champions Canada 2-1 in a shootout. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers stopped all of Canada’s shooters, including Toronto Maple Leaf Mitch Marner, to win his first career gold medal at the Worlds.

Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored for Sweden, while Marner, Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) all came up short for Canada.

The Swedish players mobbed Lundqvist after winning their first gold since 2013, and Twitter took a particular interest in Toronto Maple Leafs rookie William Nylander’s WWE-style takedown on his goalie.

Nylander, just 21 years old, was named Sweden’s MVP of the tournament, after recording 14 points to lead his team. He received the award with his dad, former Swedish national team member Michael, in attendance at Lanxess Arena in Cologne.

The gold medal game was a tight, low-scoring affair, with both sides trading scoring chances throughout regulation and overtime. Victor Hedman opened Sweden’s account late in the second period while shorthanded, and Canada’s Ryan O’Reilly tied it up early in the third.

Both Lundqvist and his Canadian counterpart Calvin Pickard were tested in Sunday’s game, with the shots 43-41 for Canada. The two teams each came very close to ending it in overtime, both having to kill off a penalty.

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This is Sweden’s 10th gold medal at the World Championships, and Canada’s 13th silver. At the 2017 tournament, held both in Cologne and in Paris, France, the Swedes got off to a bumpy start, losing to both the United States and Russia in the group stage. They improved from there, beating Slovakia, Switzerland, and Finland en route to the final.

Sweden will have a chance to defend their gold medal at next year’s tournament, set to be played in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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