Sweden won their first game of the World Junior Summer Showcase, taking down Canada 5-3 in a back-and-forth game.
For Canada, it was their first game of the tournament, while Sweden had already played twice, losing to USA Blue 6-1 and then USA White 6-4.
The game started quickly for both sides, trading chance after chance. Jimmy Lombardi got on the board first for Canada with a nice move in front of the net to make it 1-0 Canada.
With Canada on the power play and only 3 seconds left on the clock, Milton Gastrin scored shorthanded after Jackson Smith had his stick implode trying to force the puck up the middle.
The offence continued into the second as 1:15 into the frame, Tynan Lawrence sniped it home on the same power play to give Canada back the lead.
Filip Ekberg had the response for the Swedes, banking one off of Brek Liske’s skate and into the net.
In the third, Ethan Belchetz tipped one home in his return to the WFCU Centre, where he played 2 seasons with the Windsor Spitfires.
Elton Hermansson scored his first of the tournament on the power play, sniping it top shelf over the glove of Samuel Meloche.
The Swedes didn’t let up. Theo Stockselius fired one from distance, tipping off of Jackson Smith’s stick and past Meloche in net.
Stockselius later scored on the empty net to give Sweden their first win of the Showcase.
Extra Time:
Both teams agreed to play overtime and a shootout given the Showcase style of this tournament.
After a back-and-forth frame, Braeden Cootes scored the overtime-winning goal to give Canada some satisfaction.
In the shootout frame, Sweden won 2-0 with goals from Elton Hermansson and Viktor Klingsell. Isak Sorqvist for Sweden was tremendous in the shootout, stopping all 4 shooters he faced.
Sweden will play Team USA tomorrow at 3 p.m. EDT/ 9 p.m. CEST, while Canada will take on Finland at 7 p.m. EDT.
Standouts:
F Caleb Malhotra (CAN | Vancouver Canucks)
Malhotra showed exactly why Vancouver selected him third overall. Although he didn’t find the scoresheet tonight, he was a driving force offensively, consistently pushing the pace and overwhelming Swedish defenders. He won countless puck battles along the boards and created second-chance opportunities all night. He will be an important player for this Canadian team come Boxing Day.
D Jackson Smith (CAN | Columbus Blue Jackets)
If you followed along with our coverage on X/Twitter, you saw us highlight the flaws in Smith’s game early on. Watching him live at last year’s World Juniors pre-tournament games, his impatience stood out where he frequently forced pucks into high-risk areas. That habit lingered through the first period and a half tonight before he finally settled in. Once comfortable, his elite recovery ability took over; even when caught out of position, his strong skating allows him to recover quickly. Offensively, he uses quick edges to walk the line and create space effortlessly. If Smith finds consistency, he has top-pair potential. But if he plays jumpy, as he did in Kitchener, he can quickly become a liability for this Canadian team.
D Daxon Rudolph (CAN | Buffalo Sabres)
When we heard Rudolph’s name be called at pick four on Draft night, it was somewhat of a surprise, but this kid can play. He was heavily involved on the offensive side of the puck tonight for this Canadian team, more so than typical, and looked good doing so. With strong vision and good skating, he will play a big part for this Canadian team in December.
F Milton Gästrin (SWE | St Louis Blues)
A veteran presence for Sweden’s U20 squad, Gästrin put together another complete performance. The former U18 captain scored his second goal of the Showcase on a sharp penalty-kill read and showed noticeable improvements in his defensive detail. He will be a core leader for Sweden on and off the ice.
F Theo Stockselius (SWE | Calgary Flames)
It was another strong game for Stockselius in this one, potting two more goals to add to his existing 2 points (1G, 1A) on the Showcase. Responsible and trusted at both ends of the ice, he is rapidly solidifying his place as a core forward on this roster.