Sweden's Viktor Eklund (#18, centre) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a first-period power-play goal in a 7-1 win over Kazakhstan at the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship.
photo: PHOTO: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / CHRIS TANOUYE
Despite trailing early on, Sweden roared back to hammer Kazakhstan 7-1 for its first win of the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship on Saturday. Forward Viktor Eklund sparked the attack with a goal and two assists.
"We came out a bit shy in the first period and let them get the first one," said Sweden's Jack Berglund. "But after that, I think we just went forward and scored some goals. When we got ahead, I think we played a really good game and safe game the rest of the way and secured the win."
The Swedes outshot Kazakhstan 59-14 and generally settled down after a messy 6-3 loss to Canada on Day One. Sweden, which lost last year's final 3-2 to the U.S. in overtime, owns U18 Worlds gold medals from 2019 (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden) and 2022 (Landshut, Germany).
"This was very difficult," said Kazakh blueliner Mstislav Shipilin. "We're trying our best. We did not get a huge number of shots. But we're trying our best."
Even with a young roster that features nine 2007-born players and a 2008-born defenceman in Svyatoslav Evplov, the newly promoted Kazakhs are showing their competitive fire. In their opener, they grabbed a 2-0 lead on Switzerland before the halfway mark of the first period. Similarly, they drew first blood against Sweden at 5:32.
Running the power play from the half wall, captain Abzal Alibek coolly moved to the right faceoff dot and beat Swedish goalie Love Harenstam high to the blocker side for his second goal of these U18 Worlds.
The Smakronorna drew even at 10:49 off the rush. Eklund’s nifty back pass from behind the net deflected on to Valter Lindberg’s stick and he beat beleaguered Kazakh goalie Tanirkhan Alpysbayev.
The Swedish power play struggled versus Canada, going 1-for-7. It showed some improvement here. With Alibek in the box for high-sticking, Eklund put Sweden up 2-1 at 15:21, going to the net to tap in Alexander Zetterberg’s hard pass.
"I don't focus so much on points," Eklund said. "I just want to play my game out there and try to work hard for the team. And that's what I did."
Defenceman Alfons Freij, a potential 2024 first-round pick, nearly added to the Swedish lead when he hammered one off the post late in the opening stanza. First-period shots favoured Sweden 22-8.
Just 0:36 into the middle frame, Eklund's short pass from the goal line found Jakob Ihs Wozniak for another power play marker and a 3-1 lead.
"The penalties are our problem, and we'll work on it," said Shipilin.
Sweden's fourth goal 44 seconds later was overshadowed by Berglund's slamming full force into the boards.
The Farjestad prospect rushed the puck into the Kazakh zone and lost his balance on a glancing hit as he fired a bad-angle shot on net. Viggo Nordlund retrieved the puck and dished it to Adam Hesselvall for the goal. Berglund went off in pain but would return, switching from #16 to #19 after his original jersey got bloodied.
"I was glad I could play the rest of the game," said Berglund.
With about seven minutes left in the middle frame, Kazakh assistant captain Assanali Sarkenov gobbled up a Swedish turnover and stickhandled in solo. He failed to beat Harenstam but did draw a slashing call on Karl Annborn. Moments later, Alpysbayev denied Hesselvall on a shorthanded breakaway.
Kazakhstan didn't help its slim comeback hopes when Sarkenov was ejected with a five-minute major for a hit from behind on defenceman Viggo Gustafsson.
Alpysbayev kept on battling and absolutely robbed Ihs Wozniak with a glove save on a wide-open net. The Swedes couldn't capitalize, even when the man advantage briefly became a 5-on-3 to open the third period.
Berglund looked fully recovered when he cut through the middle of the ice and scored on his own rebound at 4:15 of the third to make it 5-1. Lucas Pettersson powered in off left wing and went to the backhand for Sweden's sixth goal at 9:17. Melvin Fernstrom rounded out the scoring with 5:04 left.
This was the first U18 Worlds clash ever between Sweden and Kazakhstan. The Central Asian republic has only competed once at this level, finishing tenth and last back in 2003.
The most goals Kazakhstan has ever scored in a U18 Worlds game is six, in an 8-6 loss to Belarus in 2003. The Kazakhs will aim to generate more firepower in their next tilt against Czechia on Monday. The Czechs are also Sweden's next opponent on Sunday.
Berglund said: "We've faced the Czechs a lot of times this year. So we know how they play. They work really hard and they play really hard as well. So I think we have to be disciplined and stay on the ice. I think we're more skilled. So if we play the puck and use each other and are good defensively, I think it will be a great game."
"We came out a bit shy in the first period and let them get the first one," said Sweden's Jack Berglund. "But after that, I think we just went forward and scored some goals. When we got ahead, I think we played a really good game and safe game the rest of the way and secured the win."
The Swedes outshot Kazakhstan 59-14 and generally settled down after a messy 6-3 loss to Canada on Day One. Sweden, which lost last year's final 3-2 to the U.S. in overtime, owns U18 Worlds gold medals from 2019 (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden) and 2022 (Landshut, Germany).
"This was very difficult," said Kazakh blueliner Mstislav Shipilin. "We're trying our best. We did not get a huge number of shots. But we're trying our best."
Even with a young roster that features nine 2007-born players and a 2008-born defenceman in Svyatoslav Evplov, the newly promoted Kazakhs are showing their competitive fire. In their opener, they grabbed a 2-0 lead on Switzerland before the halfway mark of the first period. Similarly, they drew first blood against Sweden at 5:32.
Running the power play from the half wall, captain Abzal Alibek coolly moved to the right faceoff dot and beat Swedish goalie Love Harenstam high to the blocker side for his second goal of these U18 Worlds.
The Smakronorna drew even at 10:49 off the rush. Eklund’s nifty back pass from behind the net deflected on to Valter Lindberg’s stick and he beat beleaguered Kazakh goalie Tanirkhan Alpysbayev.
The Swedish power play struggled versus Canada, going 1-for-7. It showed some improvement here. With Alibek in the box for high-sticking, Eklund put Sweden up 2-1 at 15:21, going to the net to tap in Alexander Zetterberg’s hard pass.
"I don't focus so much on points," Eklund said. "I just want to play my game out there and try to work hard for the team. And that's what I did."
Defenceman Alfons Freij, a potential 2024 first-round pick, nearly added to the Swedish lead when he hammered one off the post late in the opening stanza. First-period shots favoured Sweden 22-8.
Just 0:36 into the middle frame, Eklund's short pass from the goal line found Jakob Ihs Wozniak for another power play marker and a 3-1 lead.
"The penalties are our problem, and we'll work on it," said Shipilin.
Sweden's fourth goal 44 seconds later was overshadowed by Berglund's slamming full force into the boards.
The Farjestad prospect rushed the puck into the Kazakh zone and lost his balance on a glancing hit as he fired a bad-angle shot on net. Viggo Nordlund retrieved the puck and dished it to Adam Hesselvall for the goal. Berglund went off in pain but would return, switching from #16 to #19 after his original jersey got bloodied.
"I was glad I could play the rest of the game," said Berglund.
With about seven minutes left in the middle frame, Kazakh assistant captain Assanali Sarkenov gobbled up a Swedish turnover and stickhandled in solo. He failed to beat Harenstam but did draw a slashing call on Karl Annborn. Moments later, Alpysbayev denied Hesselvall on a shorthanded breakaway.
Kazakhstan didn't help its slim comeback hopes when Sarkenov was ejected with a five-minute major for a hit from behind on defenceman Viggo Gustafsson.
Alpysbayev kept on battling and absolutely robbed Ihs Wozniak with a glove save on a wide-open net. The Swedes couldn't capitalize, even when the man advantage briefly became a 5-on-3 to open the third period.
Berglund looked fully recovered when he cut through the middle of the ice and scored on his own rebound at 4:15 of the third to make it 5-1. Lucas Pettersson powered in off left wing and went to the backhand for Sweden's sixth goal at 9:17. Melvin Fernstrom rounded out the scoring with 5:04 left.
This was the first U18 Worlds clash ever between Sweden and Kazakhstan. The Central Asian republic has only competed once at this level, finishing tenth and last back in 2003.
The most goals Kazakhstan has ever scored in a U18 Worlds game is six, in an 8-6 loss to Belarus in 2003. The Kazakhs will aim to generate more firepower in their next tilt against Czechia on Monday. The Czechs are also Sweden's next opponent on Sunday.
Berglund said: "We've faced the Czechs a lot of times this year. So we know how they play. They work really hard and they play really hard as well. So I think we have to be disciplined and stay on the ice. I think we're more skilled. So if we play the puck and use each other and are good defensively, I think it will be a great game."