Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada 2 Sweden 0 - after second period

SOCHI, Russia Feb 23 (Reuters) - Sidney Crosby scored on a breakaway to give Canada a 2-0 lead over Sweden after two periods of the Olympic men's ice hockey gold medal game on Sunday. Crosby, who scored the overtime winner in Canada's gold medal victory over the United States at the 2010 Vancouver Games, gained control of the puck near the blueline, fought off a Swedish defender and flipped a backhand past a sprawling Henrik Lundqvist. Sweden started the second period a goal down but with a man-advantage after Canada's Chris Kunitz was sent to the penalty box at the end of the opening period but they could not convert. After killing off the early penalty, Canada were quickly back on the attack, Martin St. Louis firing a one-timer at Lundqvist, the puck trickling behind the Swedish netminder before it was swept off the line by a defender. First Period Jonathan Toews put Canada in front 13 minutes into the contest when he redirected a pass from Carter between Lundqvist's pads for his first of the Sochi Games. Canada threatened a minute after the opening faceoff when Sidney Crosby setup Patrice Bergeron forcing Lundqvist to make a big early save. A few minutes later it was Sweden on the attack as Gustav Nyquist stickhandled his way into the front of the Canadian net and slammed the puck off the post, forcing Carey Price to reach back and make the save. Canada had the first powerplay chance of the opening period when Jonathan Ericsson was penalised for holding but could not add to their lead. (Reporting by Steve Keating in Sochi, editing by Peter Rutherford)