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Golden moment for Nyquist

May 20, 2018, 6:51 PM ET [3 Comments]
Bob Duff
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
One Detroit Red Wing went home for the world hockey championship. The rest of the Wings who went there are bringing home medals from the event.

Only center Frans Nielsen, who played on home ice for his native Denmark was left empty-handed when the tournament ended Sunday, unless you take into account Detroit farmhands Libor Sulak and Filip Hronek, who played for the Czech Republic.

Right-winger Gustav Nyquist enjoyed a golden moment with Sweden. Although he wasn’t selected to take part in the shootout during Sweden’s 3-2 gold-medal victory over Switzerland, Nyquist did tally during the game to tie the score at 1-1. It was his fourth goal of the tournament. It was Sweden’s second straight world title, but Nyquist was not on the Swedish roster in 2017.

Earlier in the day, the United States blasted Canada 4-1 in the bronze medal game, earning medal presentations for Red Wings defenseman Nick Jensen and center Dylan Larkin. Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill guided the Americans to their first medal-winning performance at the worlds since also capturing the bronze medal in 2015.

The Americans went 3-0 in one-goal games, which must have been a nice change for Blashill, whose Red Wings were 9-26 in one-goal games during the 2017-18 season.

“I said all tournament, even when the games didn’t go our way, that our effort was there and I’m proud our group was rewarded here,” Blashill, who also coached the American team at the 2017 worlds, told USAhockey.com. “Medals are important for our country and for USA Hockey. We have volunteers, coaches and staff all throughout the country that have played a role in helping our players and staff get to this level and this bronze medal is for them.

“It wasn’t the medal we had hoped for, but we’ve pushed USA Hockey further and it’s only a matter of time before we win gold.”

The win gives the United States (6-2-0-2/W-OTW-OTL-L) its third bronze medal (2013, 2015, 2018) and fourth top-four finish in six IIHF Men’s World Championships, its best stretch since winning three medals in five tournaments it competed in from 1939-1950.

Saturday, Nyquist and the Swedes drilled the Americans 6-0 in the semifinals. “I thought our effort was there but Sweden was able to capitalize on special teams and that was the difference,” Blashill said.

Their other loss was a 6-2 setback to Finland in the preliminary round.

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