IIHF World Championship Roundup: Sweden Continues Perfect Run as Finland Gets Back on Track

The IIHF World Championship in the Czech Republic will enter its quarter-final stage later this week. On Monday, some teams played their final group matches, with Poland, Kazakhstan, Norway, and Denmark all bowing out of the tournament. Catch up on the day’s action below.

Group A

Finland 3, Denmark 1

Finland defeated Denmark 3-1 in the second match of the day in Prague, bolstering their chances of reaching the quarter-finals in what has been an inconsistent tournament for them. The reigning Olympic champions moved into fourth place in Group A, three points ahead of Austria.

To secure a playoff spot, coach Jukka Jalonen’s team needs Austria to lose to bottom-ranked Great Britain in Tuesday’s final game or to earn at least a point against Switzerland.

Great Britain 2, Norway 5

Great Britain lost 5-2 to Norway in the early game in Prague, resulting in their relegation to the second-tier Division I after just one year in the IIHF’s elite competition. Norway, however, secured their place among the top teams for another year with this win.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard scored three points with a goal and two assists, while Eskild Bakke Olsen netted twice for Norway.

Great Britain and Poland will be replaced by Slovenia and Hungary at next year’s championships in Sweden and Denmark. The British team remains without a point in the tournament after six matches and are six points behind Norway ahead of Tuesday’s final clash with Austria.

“It’s a big relief for us to have made it,” said Norwegian captain Patrick Thoresen. “It’s very important for Norwegian hockey that we stay in the top tier and continue to play against the best teams and players.”

Group B

Kazakhstan 3, Poland 1

In the second Group B game of the day in Ostrava, Kazakhstan defeated Poland 3-1 in a direct battle to stay in the elite category of the IIHF World Championship. The game was decided in the third period with a goal and an assist from Nikita Mikhail. Poland, with just one point from their seven Group B matches, will be relegated to the lower division after finishing last in the group.

Sweden 3, France 1

Sweden defeated France 3-1 in the early game in Ostrava, maintaining their perfect record after six games. Lucas Raymond and Andre Burakovsky each contributed a goal and an assist, while captain Erik Karlsson scored the crucial go-ahead goal on a power play.

“It was a tough game. The French did a good job and we were not ourselves. We have to play better and I know we will,” said Sweden forward Fabian Zetterlund. “They made it difficult for us. They attacked our passing well and didn’t give us much time. We have to play faster. They almost got us, but in the end, we showed our strength,” added the San Jose player.