Sweden started the JVM by defeating Russia 6-3 in the WP Centrium in Red Deer, Canada on the second day.
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Six different players scored for Sweden: Oskar Olausson, Simon Edvinsson, Emil Andrae, Alexander Holtz, Theodor Niederbach and Daniel Ljungman. Jesper Wallstedt guarded the Swedish goal and saved 27 shots. Russia won the shooting statistics in the match 30-24.
– We made a good match. We played for each other and had a good attitude. It goes up and down, so do all hockey matches. But we were good both defensively and offensively, says defender Simon Edvinsson to NHL.com/sv.
Russia started the premiere match most vigorously and had early chances to take the lead. But it was Sweden who finally opened the scoring. The junior crowns took the lead through Oskar Olausson in powerplay in the first period. The forward, who is drafted by the Colorado Avalanche, put the puck from the right side of the zone, played by Holtz.
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Sweden held on to the baton after the goal and a bit into the second period, the team received a dividend again. In a numerical disadvantage, Simon Edvinsson stole the puck in his own zone and tore himself free with the Russian goalkeeper Yaroslav Askarov. Edvinsson finished distinctly between Yaskarov’s leg protection for his first goal of the tournament.
– It was the first match on a small rink. It’s always a change. But I thought it went well. We had a good chat out there and “Jeppe” made a good match, says Edvinsson
– It’s something we talked about, to go aggressive. I got a club on the puck and got a free position. I saw a gap between the leg protection and it went in, he describes his goal.
Sweden increased to 3-0 with 5:44 left of the second period. In game five-on-three, the Swedish team captain Emil Andrae found the right from back position with a wrist shot.
Russia reduced to 3-1 through Fyodor Svechkov, who managed to wall in the puck via the skate on Edvinsson after 16:28 of the second period.
Before the third period, Russia changed goalkeeper. Askarov was replaced by Yegor Guskov, but he would not stop the Swedes either.
Sweden got a new five-on-three position after 1:44 of the third period. This time, too, the Swedes found the right one. William Eklund, an everyday member of the San Jose Sharks, played New Jersey Devils Alexander Holtz who made it 4-1 for Sweden with a direct shot. The 4-1 goal was Sweden’s third powerplay goal in the match.
– We got off to a good start with the first goal quite early. But tried to force a little more in others, we talked about taking what we got. We got a little careless with the puck, but for the most part we did well, says Sweden’s national team captain Tomas Montén about the Swedish powerplay game.
– We have not had that much time together and if you look at those who played, we had only trained with each other since we came out of quarantine. We pushed a little too much in some powerplay. There were both pluses and minuses, says Montén.
Russia did not give up and managed with two quick goals to get into the match again. Both goals were scored by 17-year-old Matvei Michkov who put 4-2 after 4:45 and 4-3 after 5:26. The Russian’s first goal was videotaped before it was approved because the goal cage was moved in connection with the goal.
– It got a little nervous, but we kept them on the outside mostly and closed well again. It was nice that we could take this victory, says Oskar Olausson
Despite the Russian forcing in the final period, Sweden managed to stay away and also move away further. Theodor Niederbach put 5-3 after 11:37 after a game reversal from the middle zone. Ljungman then finished the goal scorer in the match by putting the puck in an empty box with 50 seconds left to play.
Sweden will play its next match already during the night towards Tuesday, Swedish time. Slovakia stands for resistance. The match starts at 03:30.
MORE FROM JVM (26 DECEMBER)
Finland-Germany 3-1
Samuel Helenius became a two-goal scorer for Finland, which won the JVM premiere against Germany 3-1. Helenius scored Finland’s first and final goal while Brad Lambert played until two. Finland’s second goal of the match was scored by Joel Mätttä. Luca Munzenberger scored Germany’s only goal when he equalized to 1-1 in the second period.
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