Solid win for Sweden against Kazakhstan

11 May 2016 | Fredrik Pålsson

Gustav Nyquist leads Sweden with a hat trick to an important 7-3 win in the race for quarter final tickets

After a lot of up and downs so far Sweden took an important and fairly comfortable win versus Kazakhstan. The start was a bit shaky but when Mikael Backlund opened the scoring after 13 minutes it was a relief for Sweden who could play without pressure and quickly went up to 3-0 which could have been even more but instead the Kazakhs held some nerve in the game with a 3-1 goal with just over one second remaining of the first period. The goal a result of the strong Kazakh power play.

Bochenski vs. Backlund face-off. Photo: Michal Eger

But the goal didn't gave any energy for Kazakhstan and instead it was only one team on the ice in the second period. Nyquist scored his first and second goal of the game for 4-1 and 5-1. Vitali Kolesnik made some good saves to keep numbers down but was replaced after the fourth goal. Which didn't help much as Alexander Wennberg added a goal when scored shorthanded after the Kazakhs gave the puck away. Sweden also missed a penalty shot in the period.

Viktor Fasth guarded the Swedish net tonight. Photo: Michal Eger

Kazahkstan looked very tired in the second period but still managed to get some energy and pull two goals back in the third but Nyquist's third goal sealed the 7-3 victory for Sweden. Sweden who will now have two days of rest before their next game against Norway. Perhaps Magnus Nygren and Johan Sundström who missed the game today due to illness can be back then. Kazahstan will play the Czech Republic in their next game on Friday.

Kazakhstan scores. Photo: Michal Eger