Sweden beats Norway 5-1

Sweden won the Scandinavian derby against Norway after their best offensive peformance of the tournament so far looking more powerful, confident and determined than in the earlier games.

Gabriel Landeskog gave Sweden the lead halfway through the first period when Dick Axelsson's pass left him with an empty net to score on just when Norway returned to full strength. And when Landeskog scored his first of the tournament another of Sweden's NHL stars didn't want to be worse. Loui Eriksson made it 2-0 at the 14 minute mark, finding the net with a shot between Haugen's pads.

Persson and Landeskog celebrating a goal. Photo: Michal Eger

The second period saw many penalty calls, especially for Sweden giving little time for play five on five. Sweden killed a long 3 on 5 but Norway would reduce the lead anyway. Marius Holtet beat Markström with a hard shot after a turnover in the neutral zone. Earlier also Dick Axelsson missed a penalty shot for Sweden.

"It was great fun that we scored many goals. We were good in the first and the third. We needed this", Axelsson, who besides missing a penalty shot had two assists, said.

It was a physical game with feelings. Photo: Michal Eger.

After the goals had a period of momentum but couldn't capitalise it on for a tying the goal meaning Sweden still had 2-1 lead going into the third. In the third Sweden took control of the game and didn't allow Norway to create anything early and when Sweden scored two quick goals in the fifth minute of the period the game was almost over. The 3-1 was a lucky fluke when a soft shot from the blueline took a small deflection off Andreas Jämtin's skate and went in. The goal was allowed after a video reveiw. 48 seconds later the score was 4-1 after Elias Fält went on offense and got the puck close to goal and ripped it home high.

At the end a solid 5-1 (empty net by Landeskog) win for Sweden who was the better team and had the necessary luck at the right situation. A win that was necessary for a Swedish team that has been under pressure. During the game some other good news for the Swedish team also came as Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Alexander Edler all will join the Swedish roster.

"It's fantastic" Sweden's Henrik Lundqvist said about having the Sedin twins as new teammates. "Great offense, power play, world class players that finds the open spaces on the ice".

For Norway it might be harder to repeat last year's quarter final success. The team hasn't been able to put up the same entertaining and succesful play as they had last year. Can they find it in the key games against Switzerland and Czech Republic?

"It was decent",Per-Åge Skrøder said about Norway's performance. "If we had made a better 5 on 3 so perhaps we have would have got a goal there", he said about something that could have changed the outcome of the game and later he added "We have to win at Saturday (against Belarus) and then we will se what happen" about Norway's chances in the tournament.

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