Landeskog scores, Sweden to play USA in elimination bout

More than half of the Colorado Avalanche delegation of eight players could be coming home from Italy on Wednesday as a bunch of NHL teammates face off against another in the quarterfinal round.

Gabriel Landeskog scored the game-winning-goal for Sweden on Tuesday in their playoff game against Latvia to win 5-1, advancing to face Team USA in the quarterfinal at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

Landy got on the board just 41 seconds after Sweden netted their first goal of the game. Though his tally came in the first period, thanks to strong play from goalie Jacob Markstrom, Landeskog’s goal was the decider. It was his second goal of these games.

The captain of Sweden is in his second games with his country, helping them to Silver back in 2014. He has twice won gold at the World Championships, in addition to his Stanley Cup title, making him one of the most decorated hockey players of his generation. If he can lead an upset against the country he works in, Landy will have a chance to add even more accomplishment to his already full trophy case.

The results on Tuesday means it’ll be a bout of Avalanche players against each other with Landeskog leading Sweden against Team USA, which boasts Brock Nelson. It mirrors one of the other quarterfinals, where three Avs will be playing two when Canada takes on the Czechs. Slovakia will play Germany and Switzerland will take on Finland, featuring two Avalanche players, in the other two quarterfinals.

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