photo: Matt Zambonin / HHOF-IIHF Images
Leo Carlsson and Jonathan Lekkerimaki set the pace with two goals apiece as Sweden topped Switzerland 6-2 for its first win of the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship in Kaufbeuren on Sunday. The Swedes exploded for five third-period goals, four of them within just over four minutes, to get the three points.
Assistant captain Noah Ostlund impressed with a goal and an assist, and Fabian Wagner also scored for Sweden.
For winless Switzerland, Gregory Weber had a goal and an assist, and Antoine Guignard added a single.
Through two games, coach Marcel Jenni's squad has been outscored 12-4. Switzerland also lost 6-2 to Finland in its opener. The one silver lining for the Swiss so far is that this year's unusual eight-team tournament format means that everyone makes the quarter-finals.
"If you hang back just a bit in a game like this and don't play that consistently anymore, then the individually strong Swedes can take advantage immediately," said Jenni.
Assistant captain Noah Ostlund impressed with a goal and an assist, and Fabian Wagner also scored for Sweden.
For winless Switzerland, Gregory Weber had a goal and an assist, and Antoine Guignard added a single.
Through two games, coach Marcel Jenni's squad has been outscored 12-4. Switzerland also lost 6-2 to Finland in its opener. The one silver lining for the Swiss so far is that this year's unusual eight-team tournament format means that everyone makes the quarter-finals.
"If you hang back just a bit in a game like this and don't play that consistently anymore, then the individually strong Swedes can take advantage immediately," said Jenni.
It was a goaltending showdown between two netminders wearing #1 jerseys. Lukas Swedin made his U18 debut under Swedish head coach Magnus Havelid, while Alessio Beglieri got the call from Swiss coach Marcel Jenni.
The Swedes came out with more urgency than they did in their opening 3-2 loss to the Latvians on Saturday. That upset was the first time Latvia has defeated the Smakronorna in tournament history, coming in the fifth meeting between the two nations.
The Swiss also had their legs going early, urged on by cow bells from the stands at Erdgas Schwaben Arena.
Filip Bystedt came close to opening the scoring on Sweden's first man advantage when he rang one off the goal post from the left faceoff circle. Late in the opening stanza, Ostlund generated multiple chances, including a nifty foray down right wing that nearly culminated in a wraparound goal and a high-slot shot off the rush that squeezed through Beglieri but trickled wide.
Early in the second period, Weber hammered a high one off the iron. The tension continued to build, as the Swedes paraded to the penalty box, taking three minors in the middle frame.
Guignard finally drew first blood at 10:56 with an unusual power play goal. Following his shot from the right faceoff circle, the puck got stuck under the skate of Dennis Good Bogg and the Swedish defenceman accidentally slid back in his goal crease to put it over the line.
Just 18 seconds later, Carlsson tied it up for Sweden. The Orebro forward jumped past defenceman Ryan Mazzola in the neutral zone, cutting in off left wing, and coolly sliding a shot through Beglieri's pads.
With 57 seconds left in the second period, Weber restored Switzerland's lead. Taking a nice back pass from Kelian Fiebiger in the left faceoff circle, the SC Bern forward approached the Swedish net unobstructed and zinged one over Swedin's glove.
The tone shifted dramatically in the final 20 minutes.
At 3:04, Lekkerimaki made it 2-2. He accepted a long pass from assistant captain Mattias Havelid, bursting in off right wing and showing good patience before lofting a high backhander over Beglieri.
At 4:47, the Swedes took their first lead of the tournament. Carlsson's quick release from the right faceoff circle bounced in off a hapless Mazzola in front.
Ostlund finally got rewarded for his creativity with the 4-2 marker at 6:34 dipsydoodling in from the half wall past defenceman David Moser, who had lost his stick, to beat Beglieri.
With the Swiss scrambling around in their own zone, Wagner stretched the lead to 5-2 at 7:18 with a long shot through traffic.
Ostlund's playmaking was the key to Sweden's sixth goal at 11:13 on the power play. He stickhandled into the Swiss zone and fed a clever pass from the left side boards to Tim Almgren. Almgren got the puck to Lekkermaki in the slot, and Beglieri got a piece of the shot, but not enough.
The teams get a day off on Monday before resuming action on Tuesday. The Swiss take on Latvia, while the Swedes battle traditional rival Finland.
"They play very structured and ultra-defensively," Jenni said of Latvia. "They always wait for a counterattack. In order to win, we have to generate a lot of traffic in front of the goal and be wide awake at all times. The game will go back and forth very quickly."
The Swedes came out with more urgency than they did in their opening 3-2 loss to the Latvians on Saturday. That upset was the first time Latvia has defeated the Smakronorna in tournament history, coming in the fifth meeting between the two nations.
The Swiss also had their legs going early, urged on by cow bells from the stands at Erdgas Schwaben Arena.
Filip Bystedt came close to opening the scoring on Sweden's first man advantage when he rang one off the goal post from the left faceoff circle. Late in the opening stanza, Ostlund generated multiple chances, including a nifty foray down right wing that nearly culminated in a wraparound goal and a high-slot shot off the rush that squeezed through Beglieri but trickled wide.
Early in the second period, Weber hammered a high one off the iron. The tension continued to build, as the Swedes paraded to the penalty box, taking three minors in the middle frame.
Guignard finally drew first blood at 10:56 with an unusual power play goal. Following his shot from the right faceoff circle, the puck got stuck under the skate of Dennis Good Bogg and the Swedish defenceman accidentally slid back in his goal crease to put it over the line.
Just 18 seconds later, Carlsson tied it up for Sweden. The Orebro forward jumped past defenceman Ryan Mazzola in the neutral zone, cutting in off left wing, and coolly sliding a shot through Beglieri's pads.
With 57 seconds left in the second period, Weber restored Switzerland's lead. Taking a nice back pass from Kelian Fiebiger in the left faceoff circle, the SC Bern forward approached the Swedish net unobstructed and zinged one over Swedin's glove.
The tone shifted dramatically in the final 20 minutes.
At 3:04, Lekkerimaki made it 2-2. He accepted a long pass from assistant captain Mattias Havelid, bursting in off right wing and showing good patience before lofting a high backhander over Beglieri.
At 4:47, the Swedes took their first lead of the tournament. Carlsson's quick release from the right faceoff circle bounced in off a hapless Mazzola in front.
Ostlund finally got rewarded for his creativity with the 4-2 marker at 6:34 dipsydoodling in from the half wall past defenceman David Moser, who had lost his stick, to beat Beglieri.
With the Swiss scrambling around in their own zone, Wagner stretched the lead to 5-2 at 7:18 with a long shot through traffic.
Ostlund's playmaking was the key to Sweden's sixth goal at 11:13 on the power play. He stickhandled into the Swiss zone and fed a clever pass from the left side boards to Tim Almgren. Almgren got the puck to Lekkermaki in the slot, and Beglieri got a piece of the shot, but not enough.
The teams get a day off on Monday before resuming action on Tuesday. The Swiss take on Latvia, while the Swedes battle traditional rival Finland.
"They play very structured and ultra-defensively," Jenni said of Latvia. "They always wait for a counterattack. In order to win, we have to generate a lot of traffic in front of the goal and be wide awake at all times. The game will go back and forth very quickly."
Sweden vs Switzerland - 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship
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