Sweden outplays Denmark but only wins by two

07 May 2012 | Fredrik Pålsson

Sweden had a 6-1 lead after a completely outplaying Denmark for 60 minutes but Denmark some how managed to give the game some nerve and the final score was only 6-4.

Sweden made a brilliant first half of the game and 6-1 were numbers that Denmark should be pleased with as there only seemed to be one team on the ice. Somehow the game the game got some nerve anyway and at the end Sweden only won 6-4.

"We are only human beings", says Swedish net-minder Jhonas Enroth. "Of course we relax a little when we lead 6-1".

Viktor Stålberg has been very anonymous in the first two games for Sweden, thus it was probably a big relief for him when Niklas Hjalmarsson and Marcus Krüger set him up with an easy tap in to give Sweden the lead already after two minutes. The history would repeat itself when Sweden made 4-0 already at 11:43, Krüger once again set up Stålberg with an easy finish.

Stålberg scores 1-0. Photo: Tomas Schmiedt

In between Loui Eriksson had scored two power play goals. First in a chaotic situation in front of Andersen and later after a great assist by Henrik Zetterberg who left Eriksson with an open net to score on. Denmark's Swedish coach Per Bäckman tried to wake his team up with a time out but it didn't help much. Did the Danes that looked good versus the Czechs lose all their confidence after losing to Italy. Two late penalties for Sweden however put the Danes on the board when Nichlas Hardt could score from close range.

Before the start of the second period the main question was if the Swedish player could keep their focus after the easy first period. And yes they could, Daniel Alfredsson found the gap over Andersen's shoulder for 5-1 already after 43 seconds. Frederik Andersen kept the numbers down in the Danish goal but Sweden still kept on adding goals, Zetterberg making it 6-1. At the end of the second period Hardt became the third double goal scorer when he scored his second power play goal of the game.

Enroth sees the puck in his net. Photo: Tomas Schmiedt

Lars Eller scored early for Denmark in the third. Eller also got a great chance after a Swedish giveaway but Jhonas Enroth made a brilliant glove save on Eller's close range shot. Good for Enroth who had a very difficult game. Morten Green pulled one more goal back for Denmark with nine minutes left to play reducing Sweden's lead to only two goals.

"I have a hard time adjusting to the big ice", says Jhonas Enroth who allowed 4 of 18 shots tonight.

"The first two periods were good, the third not so good but the important thing is that we won", says Loui Eriksson who now leads the World Championship in scoring. "Some really nice passes from Frasse (Johan Franzén) and Z (Henrik Zetterberg)", he says about his goals.

Loui Eriksson scores 3-0 in the wide open net.
Photo: Tomas Schmiedt

"There was no question about it, especially the first 30", says Denmark's Morten Green. "When we invite them for a couple of goals it gets even tougher".