After 3 minutes 27 seconds of overtime in the quarter-final at the Santagiulia Arena in Milan, Sweden's tournament was over. Then American defenseman Quinn Hughes scored the 2-1 goal past Jacob Markström in the Swedish goal.
The sudden-death game took place in a three-on-three format, which prompted a reaction from Sweden's captain Gabriel Landeskog.
"My opinion was that it should be five-on-five. I checked the rules before the tournament and knew that's how it looked, but it's scary to think that an Olympic final is going to be decided three-on-three for 20 minutes. It's going to be five-on-five," Landeskog said after the loss.
“What a classic”
From the round of 16 to the semi-finals - as well as the bronze medal match - overtime is limited to 10 minutes, but in the Olympic final it is 20 minutes. Games are still three-on-three, which makes it more random.
"Just look at 2010, what a classic it is. The Stanley Cup is the same thing, but I'm not the one who sets the rules," says the Colorado star.
Landeskog was referring to the 2010 Olympic final in Vancouver when Sidney Crosby scored the gold-medal goal for Canada against the United States in overtime. Back then, it wasn't a three-on-three game.
National team captain Sam Hallam accepts that overtime in the group stage can be played three-on-three, but emphasizes that the arrangement may need to be reviewed for the playoffs.
"But I also want to emphasize that I am not using the format as an excuse. We knew it was three-on-three, it was decided "fair and square" and the USA won fairly, but of course it would be greater sporting fairness with five-on-five when it comes to the playoffs," says Hallam.
“The sun rises”
The Tre Kronor stars were depressed over the early Olympic exit - only a week after the opening game against Italy last Wednesday.
"It's useless to go out in the quarterfinals. It's not good," says defense star Rasmus Dahlin.
Gabriel Landeskog:
I won't run away from the bitterness or the fact that it's heartbreaking - I have to take it in, accept it and the sun will rise again tomorrow.
