photo: Andre Ringuette/IIHF
Sweden opened its IIHF World Championship with an impressive 5-0 win over Slovakia tonight at a jam-packed, yellow-sweater wearing, sold-out crowd at Avicii Arena. The victors scored three goals in the first period and never looked back.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 15 shots for the shutout in a game that featured a total of only 35 shots. The third period had but four (SWE 4-SVK 1), tying a record first set in 1978 for fewest shots by both teams in a period.
The Swedes are now 10-1 in first games when they host the World Championship, their only loss coming last time, in 2013, a 3-2 defeat to Switzerland. You have to go back to 2006 to find the last time the Slovaks defeated Sweden in World Championship play.
"We didn't have the start we wanted, but then we got into it in the second half of the first period and scored some big goals," said Sweden's Anton Bengtsson. "It's good to start with a win. There are a lot of emotions. You want to play well in front of the home crowd. We may have had some nerves in the beginning. We have some really good players but I think we can play even more simply in the o-zone and bring more pucks to the net."
"We have to get better," suggested Samuel Honzek of Slovakia. "We started pretty well, but then we started making simple mistakes. We can't be doing that. We have to figure out what to do to win. The crowd was great and helped us as well. We had a lot of fans, which is great. We need to go game by game now and try to win every one."
“It feels good to start the tournament with a win," Markstrom added. "There was a little opening-game jitters in the beginning, but I think we played a good game. It was good to have so many guys score goals, too. We have a great team. Everyone is an important player on their club teams, and they’re smart players. Of course, it's nice to get a shutout, but the guys did a great job in front of me.”
A bounce here and a roll there and things might have been different. Milos Roman had the game’s first good chance when he was alone in the slot, but his shot was expertly handled by Markstrom. Seconds later, another close call. This time a routine shot from Adam Sykora wriggled through the goalie’s equipment and rolled just wide of the far post.
And that was it for the Slovaks. Tre Kronor opened the scoring at 11:17 on a perfect pass from Emil Heineman to Mikael Backlund, and his high one-timer found the net. The team then added two late goals to take control. Another one-timer, by Leo Carlsson, also made it to the twine and then, with only 6.8 seconds remaining, Tre Kronor made it 3-0. Jonas Brodin’s long shot from the point somehow fooled Patrik Rybar.
The Swedes maintained a perfect rhythm in the second, playing sound defence and keeping the puck out of harm’s way. They nearly up their lead halfway through on a thrilling tip by Leo Carlsson in front. He accepted a Simon Edvinsson pass with his stick between his legs and almost pulled off a razzle-dazzle shot.
The Swedes did, indeed, make it 4-0 soon after on another late marker. Erik Gustavsson moved in off the point and made a nice slap-pass to Elias Lindholm, and his re-direct slipped into the far side with only 1:14 remaining.
Mika Zibanejad added to the total with a late goal in the third when a pass directed to him went off his skate and in to make it 5-0.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 15 shots for the shutout in a game that featured a total of only 35 shots. The third period had but four (SWE 4-SVK 1), tying a record first set in 1978 for fewest shots by both teams in a period.
The Swedes are now 10-1 in first games when they host the World Championship, their only loss coming last time, in 2013, a 3-2 defeat to Switzerland. You have to go back to 2006 to find the last time the Slovaks defeated Sweden in World Championship play.
"We didn't have the start we wanted, but then we got into it in the second half of the first period and scored some big goals," said Sweden's Anton Bengtsson. "It's good to start with a win. There are a lot of emotions. You want to play well in front of the home crowd. We may have had some nerves in the beginning. We have some really good players but I think we can play even more simply in the o-zone and bring more pucks to the net."
"We have to get better," suggested Samuel Honzek of Slovakia. "We started pretty well, but then we started making simple mistakes. We can't be doing that. We have to figure out what to do to win. The crowd was great and helped us as well. We had a lot of fans, which is great. We need to go game by game now and try to win every one."
“It feels good to start the tournament with a win," Markstrom added. "There was a little opening-game jitters in the beginning, but I think we played a good game. It was good to have so many guys score goals, too. We have a great team. Everyone is an important player on their club teams, and they’re smart players. Of course, it's nice to get a shutout, but the guys did a great job in front of me.”
A bounce here and a roll there and things might have been different. Milos Roman had the game’s first good chance when he was alone in the slot, but his shot was expertly handled by Markstrom. Seconds later, another close call. This time a routine shot from Adam Sykora wriggled through the goalie’s equipment and rolled just wide of the far post.
And that was it for the Slovaks. Tre Kronor opened the scoring at 11:17 on a perfect pass from Emil Heineman to Mikael Backlund, and his high one-timer found the net. The team then added two late goals to take control. Another one-timer, by Leo Carlsson, also made it to the twine and then, with only 6.8 seconds remaining, Tre Kronor made it 3-0. Jonas Brodin’s long shot from the point somehow fooled Patrik Rybar.
The Swedes maintained a perfect rhythm in the second, playing sound defence and keeping the puck out of harm’s way. They nearly up their lead halfway through on a thrilling tip by Leo Carlsson in front. He accepted a Simon Edvinsson pass with his stick between his legs and almost pulled off a razzle-dazzle shot.
The Swedes did, indeed, make it 4-0 soon after on another late marker. Erik Gustavsson moved in off the point and made a nice slap-pass to Elias Lindholm, and his re-direct slipped into the far side with only 1:14 remaining.
Mika Zibanejad added to the total with a late goal in the third when a pass directed to him went off his skate and in to make it 5-0.
Sweden vs Slovakia - 2025 IIHF WM
OF