Banged-up United States falls to Sweden, 2-1

BOSTON — Teams USA and Canada will have two days off before they play each other in the climactic championship game of the 4 Nations Faceoff at TD Garden on Thursday.

The Americans may need all of that time to get healthy for the highly anticipated rematch with the hockey power to the north.

In their 2-1 loss to Sweden on Monday night, the Yanks started the game without all three of their captains and then lost another key cog early in the first period.

The game was rendered meaningless with USA already through to the title game by virtue of their win over Canada on Saturday and Canada punching their ticket with a 5-3 win over Finland in the early game Monday.

How much that had to do with the teams’ depleted lineups is not immediately known but the Americans were playing without Auston Matthews, Charlie McAvoy and Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuk, who suffered a lower body injury in Saturday’s win over Canada and did not finish that game, was the only one that was really expected. Matthews reportedly was feeling upper body soreness and is expected to be ready for Thursday’s title tilt. McAvoy is dealing with an upper body injury, the nature of which is unclear. He did miss nearly three weeks in January with what was believed to be a wrist injury. McAvoy’s physicality, especially on Connor McDavid, was key in the US win over Canada on Saturday and it would be a big loss if he wasn’t available, not to mention what it would mean to the Bruins if he were to be lost for any length of time.

The United States started the game with just 11 forwards and six defensemen, down a man. Then early in the game, the Americans lost another forward – and an important one – when Brady Tkachuk crashed into a post and went to the room. He came back to the bench but played just one 14-second shift after that. He did not return after the first intermission.

Coach Mike Sullivan said that Brady Tkachuk, who banged his leg on the post, was held out mostly for precautionary reasons. He said more information would be known on the Bruins’ defenseman McAvoy and Matthews on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if the U.S. has to look for a replacement player, as Canada did when Shea Theodore got hurt, Cale Makar was sick and Thomas Harley was brought in.

“We’re hopeful we’re going to get some of these guys back. I would anticipate we would. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out over the next day or so. Obviously, there’ll be contingency planning in the event that we need people,” Sullivan said.

Jack Eichel expressed optimism the team would be healthy come Thursday.

“We’ll be good to go, yeah,” Eichel said. “We get two days here and we’ll take advantage of our time and get guys healthy and be ready to go on Thursday.”

Eichel is expecting the same kind of high intensity game we saw on Saturday.

“It’s a Game 7, right?” said Eichel. “It’s for everything and I think you’re going to see desperate hockey, you’re going to see everything you aw in the first game and more I’d imagine.”

Meanwhile, the Swedes were reportedly hit by the flu bug. Linus Ullmark, Mike Zibanejad and Rickard Rackell were all scratched.

None of that could dampen the atmosphere of the opening minutes, spurred by Todd Angilly’s rousing rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner helped along by nearly 18,000 Garden faithful.

Then just 35 seconds in, Chris Kreider scored to put the US up 1-0. Chelmsford’s Eichel sent Zach Werenski off on a rush. Swedish goalie Sam Ersson made the initial save on Werenski but served up a room service rebound for Kreider. That’s the last time Ersson (31 saves) would be beaten.

But after both teams killed a penalty, the U.S. got sloppy in their own zone and the Swedes tied it up 13:39 after a couple of American turnovers. Gustav Nyquist tipped an Erik Karlsson shot and it dribbled between goalie Jake Oettinger’s blocker arm and body.

Then the Yanks found themselves down a goal when Jesper Bratt took a William Nylander feed and sniped roof job past Oettinger with 56 seconds left in the period.

The depleted United States squad continued to have some puck management issues in the second period though it didn’t cost them anything.

Throughout the game, the U.S. hit five posts and Brock Nelson was thwarted on a clean breakaway. Despite the chances, the Americans never got the equalizer.

Now the Yanks have bigger things about which to be concerned, and excited.

“That first game was such a great hockey game, I think it’s great for hockey that there’s an opportunity for these two teams to meet again,” Sullivan said. “Obviously, both teams have star power all around the lineup. It was a very competitive hockey game in the first game. I would anticipate the next game will be every bit as competitive, if not more …The way that game was played with the emotional investment on both sides, it’s just such an indication of how much these guys care and what this means to them. There’s a lot of pride at stake and it will a hard-fought battle. I think it’s a great celebration of hockey.”

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