Much more important than the suite to burst

Published: December 31, 2020 at 7:57 a.m.
Updated: December 31, 2020 at 08.09

That that monster suite was broken feels almost just good.

It is always difficult to lose, especially after a goal in the last seconds.

But more importantly, the Junior Crowns showed that they can play evenly with perhaps the best team in the tournament.

But in the first period it was far from uniform. There was a class difference from beginning to end. The Russians completely ran over a passive and newly awakened Swedish team. The only positive thing about the first 20 minutes was that Sweden held on in the match with just 1-2 down.

A positive thing for the Swedish side was also that a hockey game lasts at least 60 minutes.

For the Russians to go out and wash their opponent is nothing new. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen him happen, both with the Russian A team and with the youth team. Sit back and think “how the hell should the opponent have a chance here?”

There is no nation in the world that is as high a level as the Russians, whether junior or senior.

There is also no other major nation moving in performance during a match that the Russians can do.

That was also the case last night. Not even the Russians can play in sixth gear for an entire match.

At the same time that Junior’s crowns found their way into the match (Russian expulsions helped), the worst Russian energy and the joy of the game also diminished.

Suddenly, this was an even match between two heavyweights constantly challenging each other.

Best Goalkeeping Pair since 2009

He was high-tempo, luscious individual performances, mean (Holtz called the Russians’ behavior “ugly and disgusting”) and a good goalkeeper.

Jesper Wallstedt seized the opportunity in goal and proved that Sweden have their best goalkeeping pair since Jacob Markström and Anders Nilsson in 2010. On the second goal, talented Russian goalkeeper Askarov lined up saves.

Photo: ANDY DEVLIN / BILDBYRÅN

Federation captain Joel Rönnmark did not participate in any social training. Alexander Holtz and Lucas Raymond finished in about 22 minutes. Victor Söderström played 26 minutes. Half-injured Philip Broberg finished in 24 minutes.

In the first period, it was the network with Costmar, Holmström and Gunler that was behind the small offensive game that Sweden had. It was also the trio that was behind the important 1-1 draw. I also liked again what I saw from Elmer Söderblom.

But as the match landscape changed, Sweden became more party and more powerful, Alexander Holtz and Lucas Raymond also entered the match landscape more and more.

Holtz was also the one who made it 2-2 in the tie after first hitting the post on an open arc. His revenge with the pack on Askarov’s rear was even more beautiful. The feared right-hander also fell behind the tie at 3-3.

There were two expulsions on Holtz’s negative account, of which at least the first felt very unnecessary.

The junior crowns returned for the third time when Noel Gunler led the tie at 3-3 with one minute left and Wallstedt in the area.

America will be at least as tough

But if Sweden wants to win this kind of match, the dividend in the power play must be better. Now Raymond & Co had five attempts in that form of play without scoring a goal.

Russia scored their final three goals in powerplay. Against such a good team, it doesn’t hold up to lose the special teams game, of course.

At the same time, we must also remember that Russia, along with Canada, was counted in advance as the great gold favorite. After the less difficult preparations, Sweden was considered outsiders to bronze.

Now a defeat in the group stage doesn’t have to be bad. If we look at the gold nations in JVM in recent years, most of them have suffered a defeat in the group stage.

But there shouldn’t be two …

For now, it’s a tough situation ahead of the final game against the United States the night before New Year’s Day, a match that begins just 21 hours after the big loss to Russia. There they lose and Sweden will face Canada or Finland in the quarterfinals.

If Sweden manages to score at least two points against the United States, Germany or Slovakia are waiting. A much easier trip to the semifinals.

Of: Hans abrahamsson

Published: December 31, 2020 at 7:57 a.m.

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