Sweden advances to semi-finals with hard-fought win over Latvia

Sweden - Latvia 3-2

Sweden asserted their dominance early, with a relentless puck possession game that yielded a 19-2 shot advantage in the first period. Zeb Forsfjäll opened the scoring at 8:30, capitalizing on a rush down the left wing and beating Latvian goalie Linards Feldbergs to the glove side.

Just over a minute later, Anton Wahlberg extended the lead to 2-0 with a one-timer set up beautifully by captain Axel Sandin Pellikka. The Swedes appeared to be in complete control, but Latvia’s resilience would soon make things interesting.

The second period began with a power-play goal from David Edstrom at 3:57, his rebound effort giving Sweden a 3-0 cushion. Latvia, however, capitalized on a swing in momentum after an offside challenge negated what would have been Edstrom’s second goal.

Latvian assistant captain Ēriks Mateiko, already a hero from their group-stage upset over Canada, scored twice in the second period. His first goal came on just Latvia’s fourth shot of the game, threading the puck past Swedish goalie Melker Thelin at 10:13. Mateiko then pounced on a rebound late in the frame to make it 3-2, electrifying the arena and keeping Latvia’s upset hopes alive.

Despite Latvia’s efforts to push for an equalizer, Sweden clamped down defensively in the third period while continuing to bombard Feldbergs with shots. The Latvian goalie, named his team’s Player of the Game, was outstanding, making 47 saves to keep his team within striking distance.

Latvia pulled Feldbergs for an extra attacker in the final minutes, but the Swedes held firm to secure the narrow victory.

With the win, Sweden advances to the semi-finals for the fourth consecutive year, continuing their quest for their first gold medal since 2012. Meanwhile, Latvia exits the tournament with their heads held high, having exceeded expectations with a quarter-final appearance and a memorable victory over Canada in the group stage.

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