Sweden's Mikael Backlund directs an Elias Pettersson pass into Ronan Quemener's net to make it 2-0 in the World Championship Group A game against France in Copenhagen.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
Sweden maintained its 100% record in Group A, despatching France with a routine 4-0 victory in Copenhagen.
Goals from Rickard Rakell, Mikael Backlund, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Elias Pettersson put the Tre Kronor on top. Swedish goalie Anders Nilsson, making his first start of the tournament, made 14 saves as the French endured a second blank game out of three.
Goals from Rickard Rakell, Mikael Backlund, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Elias Pettersson put the Tre Kronor on top. Swedish goalie Anders Nilsson, making his first start of the tournament, made 14 saves as the French endured a second blank game out of three.
After France’s 0-7 loss against Russia, head coach Dave Henderson insisted that the only way his team could hope to compete with the game’s top teams was to keep the scoreline tight. Against Sweden – many people’s pick to top the Russians in Copenhagen – hopes of frustrating the opposing offence evaporated in just 24 seconds.
That was all the time it took for the Swedes to get in front with Rakell again on the scoresheet. Adam Larsson’s cross-ice pass found the forward at the back door and Ronan Quemener was beaten by the first shot he faced.
Part of the French trouble against Russia was a lack of strong defence. Too often players were given time and space in front of the net. The same thing happened again here in the sixth minute when Backlund got away from Antonin Manavian to divert Pettersson’s feed through the five-hole.
"It was nice to get a goal that quick. It gave us a little confidence," goalscorer Rakell said. "But maybe we relaxed a little too much after the second goal. It’s a long tournament. You’re going to have ups and downs. Hopefully we can see the positives in this game. We didn’t let a goal in, and we didn’t give them too many chances. When they had some, our goalie played really well. All we can do right now is just take the win and move forward."
"It was nice to get a goal that quick. It gave us a little confidence," goalscorer Rakell said. "But maybe we relaxed a little too much after the second goal. It’s a long tournament. You’re going to have ups and downs. Hopefully we can see the positives in this game. We didn’t let a goal in, and we didn’t give them too many chances. When they had some, our goalie played really well. All we can do right now is just take the win and move forward."
There wasn’t much happening for the French offence at this stage: les Bleus managed just four shots on goal in the first period, although Florian Douay almost snatched a short-handed goal when he got a look at Nilsson’s net but shot high and wide.
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The second period was more competitive, with France’s Guillaume Leclerc at the heart of many of the key incidents. First he fashioned the best chance of the game for the French, firing in a wrist shot that had Nilsson scrambled to trap the puck under pressure from Nicolas Ritz. Next, he found himself on the receiving end of a monster hit from Larsson as he looked to take play into the Swedish zone. Adding insult to injury, Larsson collected an assist as the play went to the other end of the ice and Ekman-Larsson smashed home a shot from the left-hand face-off spot.
The French were incensed, convinced there should have been a penalty call on Larsson, and that bad blood boiled over later in the frame. Ritz and Larsson scrapped in centre ice, while Leclerc took the opportunity to have a swing at Magnus Paarjavi out on the boards. All four players sat out minor penalties.
"I'm just happy that everyone is healthy after this game," said Ekman-Larsson. "I thought they got a little bit mad after Adam’s hit there. At the same time, I think we controlled the game pretty good. It was nice to get a win."
In the final stanza, Sweden demonstrated its game management. France was held at arm's length as the Tre Kronor moved on to nine points and kept pace with Russia at the top of the table. There was still time for one more goal, with Pettersson showing great composure to pause while Thomas Thiry committed himself. Once the defenceman had moved, Pettersson duly despatched a wrist shot beyond Quemener to wrap up the scoring.
That's the kind of play that has his more celebrated team-mates purring. Rakell led the applause: "I thought he played really well today. He was thinking shot the whole game. When he’s doing that, he’s a dangerous player. He proved it on the two goals he was involved in.
The French were incensed, convinced there should have been a penalty call on Larsson, and that bad blood boiled over later in the frame. Ritz and Larsson scrapped in centre ice, while Leclerc took the opportunity to have a swing at Magnus Paarjavi out on the boards. All four players sat out minor penalties.
"I'm just happy that everyone is healthy after this game," said Ekman-Larsson. "I thought they got a little bit mad after Adam’s hit there. At the same time, I think we controlled the game pretty good. It was nice to get a win."
In the final stanza, Sweden demonstrated its game management. France was held at arm's length as the Tre Kronor moved on to nine points and kept pace with Russia at the top of the table. There was still time for one more goal, with Pettersson showing great composure to pause while Thomas Thiry committed himself. Once the defenceman had moved, Pettersson duly despatched a wrist shot beyond Quemener to wrap up the scoring.
That's the kind of play that has his more celebrated team-mates purring. Rakell led the applause: "I thought he played really well today. He was thinking shot the whole game. When he’s doing that, he’s a dangerous player. He proved it on the two goals he was involved in.
"He has tons of skill and he’s dangerous when he has the puck on his stick. Tremendous shot. Why wouldn’t you look for him?"
More in this vein, and it won't just be Swedes looking out for the talented Canucks prospect.
More in this vein, and it won't just be Swedes looking out for the talented Canucks prospect.