Vegas Golden Knights: Morozov slays Team Sweden in OT with Gold in sight

Vegas Golden Knights prospect Ivan Morozov was the hero as he delivered the goods in overtime to send Team Russia through to the Gold Medal Game at the 2020 World Junior Championships.

The 61st overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft for the Vegas Golden Knights, Morozov scored arguably the biggest goal of his young career as Team Russia saw off Team Sweden in a crazy Semi-Final tie.

It was a big game in general for Morozov who finished with two goals, while fellow Golden Knights prospect Pavel Dorofeyev tallied an assist.

In what was a frantic and wild contest, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rasmus Sandin gave Team Sweden the lead just 16 seconds into the contest.

However, that woke Team Russia from their slumber and they went on to dominate the rest of the first period with Morozov soon making it a tied game on the power play, with Dorofeyev claiming a secondary assist on the goal.

Sweden was then handed a blow as Nils Hoglander, who entered the game as the leading scorer in the tournament, was given a five-minute major for a hit to the head on Grigori Denisenko.

That seemed to swing the momentum further into Russia’s path and they began to take control of the contest thanks to goals from Alexander Khovanov and Yegor Sokolov.

A crazy period wasn’t over just yet, though, and Team Sweden made it a one-goal game after Samuel Fagemo tallied his seventh goal of the tournament.

It was a more even second period and there was only one goal which went to Team Sweden, Sandin potting his second goal of the game with an effort on the power play to make it a tied game.

Team Sweden scored another power play goal in the third period thanks to Nils Lundqvist, and all of a sudden Team Russia was staring down the barrel of a gun.

However, the game took another turn late in the period when Yegor Sokolov snapped a beautiful effort to send an exhilarating contest to overtime.

And step forward Morozov.

With the hockey world watching, the Vegas Golden Knights prospect delivered the biggest moment of his young career on the biggest stage.

Morozov powered over the Swedish blueline, weaving his way through a crowd of bodies before waltzing past Rasmus Sandin and snapping a quick shot past Team Sweden goalie Hugo Alnefelt.

It was a stunning moment from Morozov who came into the game with just one point to his name, and he will go down in Team Russia folklore for that goal alone.

Team Russia, along with Golden Knights prospects Dorfoyev and Morozov, will now await the winner of the other Semi-Final between Team Canada and Team Finland.

Let’s finish with some quick housekeeping, too. As it stands, Ivan Morozov will go into the Gold Medal game with three points (two goals, one assist) while Pavel Dorofeyev has three goals and one assist for four points.