As the scene switched to Centre 200 in Sydney for the playoff round, Sweden kicked off quarter-final day with a 7-2 win over Slovakia at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

History was also made, as Slovak captain Nela Lopusanova tied Kendall Coyne Schofield’s all-time WW18 records with 22 goals and 33 points.
 

 

 

 

 

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Tilia Lindgren scored twice while Nellie Noren, Svea Nordqvist, Moa Stridh, Tilde Grillfors and Inez Nygren added singles for Sweden. In net, Meja Engelin recorded her second win of the tournament.

Final shots were 48-17 for Slovakia.

With 7:55 left to play in the second period, Lopusanova tied Coyne Schofield when she scored on Slovakia’s fifth shot of the game. Breaking into the slot, she hit the back of the net for her sixth goal of the 2026 tournament. Lenka Karkoskova also scored for Slovakia.

"The only way we could win this game was to work hard," said Slovak coach Michal Kobezda. "I think we started well, but they had a late goal at the end of the first period. We tried, but it wasn't enough this time. They gave it everything they had."

In a penalty-free first period where the shots were 15-4 for Tre Kronor, the ice began to tilt in Sweden’s favour midway through. The defender Nordqvist had the best early chances, challenging Sumegova with a shot from left wing and following up on her next shift with a snapper from the slot.

"I think we played really well as a team and didn't try anything as individuals," said Nordqvist, who was named Sweden's best player. "I'm really happy with how we played. We knew their No. 12 was good, but we focused on how we wanted to play. The group is coming together a bit better every day. We believe in ourselves."

With eight minutes left in the first, Lopusanova got her first good chance of the game, fighting between two Swedish players before shovelling the puck toward Engelin.

The Swedes opened the scoring on their 14^th shot of the game. With 1:39 left in the first period, Noren streaked down the right side and beat Mariana Sumegova for her first of the tournament.

In the second, Sumegova foiled Grillfors after she steamrolled down the slot, making moves. With 6:57 gone, Nordqvist made it 2-0 when she shoveled home a loose puck off a rebound for her first goal.

Less than two minutes later, Slovakia got its first power play of the game when Stridh hit Michaela Letasi hard into the side boards. But the extra-player advantage lasted just 20 seconds before Slovakia's Alexandra Hirjakova was called for holding.

With more open ice at 4-on-4, Lindgren corralled a rebound in close and beat Sumegova. Then, fresh out of the penalty box, Stridh broke in and shot five-hole to make it 4-0 on a power-play tally.

With less than two minutes left in the second, Lopusanova came oh-so-close to breaking the record — and the internet. She dug a puck out of the corner in the offensive zone, then went behind the net and pulled the puck onto her stick for a Michigan-style high wraparound.

"I was thinking about it before the game," Lopusanova. "I started with a Michigan my first year, so I wanted to end the same way. I had a chance, which was pretty cool, but it didn't go in. I'm really happy I tried it."

Swedish captain Ebba Westerlind was having none of it, and successfully blocked the attempt.

"I kind of saw it coming and I tried to stop it," she said. "It was good to stop that."

Grillfors added her third goal of the tournament in the final frame. After Karkoskova got it to 5-2, Lindgren scored her second of the day.

With 41 seconds left in the third period, Slovakia took one more shot at history, pulling the goalie on the power play for a 6-on-4 advantage. It took just seven seconds for Nygren to hit the empty net, but Sumegova came off again for a brief 5-on-3 advantage after more penalties with 23 seconds to go. Lopusanova got one strong shot on net, but Engelin made the save.

"It was a great journey for her," Kobezda said. "She has been the most important player for us. She was a great leader, a great teammate. I wish her the best in her future career. And of course, we'll see her with the senior team."

Nordqvist finished with a goal and two assists and Lindgren finished with two assists on top of her two goals, giving the 15-year-old six points in four games. 

Karkoskova earned best-player honours for Slovakia, and Slovakia's three best players of the tournament were chosen to be Lopusanova and her linemates Vanesa Mikulasikova and Alica Jurikova.

With the win, Sweden moves to 5-0 all-time against Slovakia at the U18 women’s worlds. The two sides last met in 2024.