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On New Year’s Eve 2006, Sweden lost to the United States in the final match of the group. Then followed 54 (!) Swedish consecutive victories in group play in the junior WC before the junior crowns lost to Russia on New Years Eve after overtime.
At this year’s JVM tournament in Edmonton, there is now a group match left for the Swedish youth. That match may well be the beginning of a new series of victories.
Victory against the United States in tonight’s game means a much easier Swedish opposition in the quarterfinals.
As that there are different players year after year in a junior WC, the Swedish players, regardless of their age, have not really had any special relationship with the aforementioned and described victory suite.
Something that was clearly noticed in the captain of the Juniorkronorna national team, Philip Broberg, during press meetings in Edmonton. Over and over again, Captain Broberg has repeated that what happens in the group stage plays a minor role. Sweden is in Edmonton to take the gold.
Rather, it is the outside world that is surprised by the incomparable suite.
But in the game against the United States, what happens in the group stage can have great significance.
Sweden wins against the USA, regardless of whether it takes place during regulation time or overtime, means that the Junior Crowns will face Slovakia in the quarterfinals. Although Slovakia played a good game against Canada, defeat 1-3, but in the 0-6 defeat against Finland, the team’s shortcomings were clear.
In the event of a Sweden defeat against the United States, Sweden will face the winner of tonight’s match between Canada and Finland. Neither team can be called a dream opponent.
On the way to the group final, both teams have won all three matches and only conceded three and four goals respectively.
Now, of course, it is possible to state that if you want to win the gold, you must be able to beat all the teams, but there are probably advantages in a more pleasant trip to the semifinals. Not least considering that Sweden’s ending in group play will cost some energy and will certainly result in some body aches.
Despite the loss Against Russia, there are many positive things from the Swedish point of view that you can take with you from that match.
Federation captain Joel Rönnmark, who had to step from assistant to coach when regular league captain Tomas Montén, tested positive for covid-19, showed courage and sensitivity on the tips of his fingers.
He trained hard, let the hot players play a lot, and picked the goalkeeper early, which paid off.
Alexander Holtz finally broke the deadlock, and he and Lucas Raymond at times showed why they both finished early in the NHL draft.
However, what needs to improve is the game of numerical superiority. Against Russia, Sweden had five chances without scoring a single goal.
