World Cup exhibition recap: Canada tops Russia in overtime

PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin fought to a draw on their home ice.

Canada, however, remains a bit ahead of Russia. At least for now.

Ryan Getzlaf beat Sergei Bobrovsky on a breakaway at 3:29 of overtime to give Team Canada to a 3-2 victory over Team Russia in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition Wednesday night.

Bobrovsky made 45 stops, some of them spectacular, but couldn’t wrangle the puck when Getzlaf slipped it between his pads during the 3-on-3 extra session.

John Tavares and Patrice Bergeron scored for Canada. Crosby assisted on Bergeron’s score while playing under Bergeron’s score while playing underneath the familiar banners at Consol Energy Center. Carey Price had 24 saves for Canada , which finished 2-1 in exhibitions before the eight-team tournament begins in Toronto this weekend.

“I think the whole thing with a short tournament event is to keep getting better, keep improving and keep building off each game,” said Crosby, who had two assists in the three exhibitions. “I think we’re able to do that. I think there’s still another level but I’m sure that’s the case for a lot of teams. We need to get to that level gradually.”

Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Russians. Alexander Ovechkin also scored. Evgeni Malkin assisted on Ovechkin’s goal to match longtime Pittsburgh teammate Crosby.

“We go up against each other a lot,” Malkin said. “He’s tough on the boards protecting puck every time. It’s a hard battle against him. I like how I play too.”

The Canadians open the tournament Saturday against the Czech Republic. Russia, which went 1-1-1 in three tuneups, begins on Sunday against Sweden.

“We didn’t lose the game right away,” Ovechkin said. “We battled and got the lead. The boys feel much better now and for the future.”

Canada is a heavy favorite to continue its run atop international play, a surge that started with a triumph at the 2010 Olympics and continued two years ago in Sochi when they grabbed gold again while the host Russians missed the medal stand completely.

Anything less than hearing “O Canada” play after the finals at the end of the month would be a disappointment, particularly at home. It’s a role Crosby and his countrymen thrive in though they’ve been a bit uneven during their three exhibitions, following up a 5-2 romp over the US last weekend with an up-and-down performance against Russia. Canada dominated early then spent the middle portion of the game on its heels a bit before collecting itself late.

“I think we’ve gotten more and more comfortable,” Crosby said. “Special teams is going to be big … It’s a process but I thought we definitely got better with every game and generated a lot.”

Crosby and Malkin both joked about facing against each other on the same sheet of ice they’ve shared for a decade, with Crosby good naturedly saying he may take a friendly shot at Malkin if the moment called for it. The moment ended up coming in the first period, when the two briefly met in the corner before Malkin skated away with both players unharmed.

Canada controlled the first period and took the lead when Crosby fed a streaking Bergeron , who slipped it by Bobrovsky to put the Canadians in front during a 20-minute stretch in which they outshot the Russians 14-5 and tilted the ice heavily to once side.

Russia slowly found its footing and finally converted when Malkin won a faceoff and dropped it to Panarin, who slipped it across the ice to Ovechkin. The Washington Capitals star drilled a one-time from his familiar spot in the left circle to tie it 3:40 into the third . Panarin put Russia up less than four minutes later when he jumped on a rebound to give the Russians the lead.

Tavares picked up his third goal in as many exhibitions by threading a wrist shot from the top of zone by Bobrovsky at 13:58. Bobrovsky sent the game to overtime with a series of stellar stops in the final minutes of regulation, including a slick glove hand save against Crosby from in close.

“’’I like how we play,” Malkin said. “Next time we play semifinal or final I hope.”

Czech Republic 3, Team North America 2

PITTSBURGH - Matt Murray spent the end of his rookie season helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup.

The goaltender is ready for an entirely different challenge for Team North America during the World Cup of Hockey. Murray stopped 16 of 17 shots he faced in a 3-2 loss to the Czech Republic on Wednesday in the final exhibition for both teams before the tournament starts in Toronto next week.

While North America coach Todd McLellan has yet to officially name who will start in next when his team faces Finland on Sunday, it appears to be a mere formality.

“I’m not prepared to anoint him yet … but I think you had very good eyes, you saw him play extremely well,” McLellan said. “That’s the same thing we saw. Odds are he’s our guy but we have to respect the process.”

The group of players 23-and-under will head into the event after losing for the first time in three exhibitions after Tomas Plekanec banked a backhander off Connor Hellebuyck’s pads with just over 8 minutes remaining. Murray was long gone by then in the same building where he’ll report for work in October as Pittsburgh looks to defend the Cup it won after streaking through the postseason and beating San Jose in six games in the final.

Heady territory for the 22-year-old Murray, who believes his run last spring will only help as the team of upstarts face a massive test against the world’s best players.

“That’s probably the highest pressure you can have in hockey,” Murray said. “Going through that at a young age is only going to help me feel more comfortable.”

North America overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie it midway through the third period on goals by Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews against Petr Mrazek.

North America captain Connor McDavid was held without a point for the third straight game and took a big hit from Czech defenseman Roman Polak at the end of the second period. McDavid said he didn’t believe the hit was dirty and allowed his scoreless streak is the result of passing up too many opportunities to shoot the puck.

“It’s something I’ve got to figure out and keep working on,” he said.

Plekanec answered 53 seconds after Matthews’ goal by taking a feed from Ales Hemsky from behind the net and knocking it off Hellebuyck’s leg and over the goal line for his third goal in as many exhibition games.

Ondrej Palat and Radek Faska also scored for the Czech Republic. Mrazek stopped 17 of the 19 shots he faced after coming in for Michal Neuvirth at the game’s midway point.

Team Europe 6, Sweden 2

WASHINGTON — Henrik Lundqvist got the hook after allowing five goals on 22 shots in Sweden’s 6-2 loss to Team Europe on Wednesday night in each team’s final exhibition game before the World Cup of Hockey.

Leon Draisaitl had a hat trick and Tomas Tatar and Thomas Vanek scored on the New York Rangers goaltender, who was a victim of giveaways and defensive miscues but wasn’t at his best. Jacob Markstrom replaced Lundqvist in the third period.

European captain Anze Kopitar added an empty-net goal.

Daniel Sedin scored on the power play and Patric Hornqvist at even strength for Sweden, which opens the World Cup on Sunday against high-powered Russia.

Jaroslav Halak stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced to solidify the No. 1 goalie job for Europe, which looked ready to face the United States on Saturday after losing twice to the 23-and-under Team North America.