Sweden Dominates United States 6-3 in World Juniors Showdown
In an electrifying matchup at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Sweden emerged victorious against the United States with a score of 6-3, clinching the top seed in Group A of the World Junior Championship. The game saw standout performances from Lucas Pettersson of the Anaheim Ducks and Eddie Genborg of the Detroit Red Wings, both of whom scored twice, highlighting Sweden’s offensive prowess.
Key Players Shine
Lucas Pettersson was instrumental in Sweden’s commanding victory. Following the game, he expressed his satisfaction, stating, “In these games you want to play well. I’m here to score goals, so I’m happy to do that.” His two goals, including a short-handed effort, contributed significantly to Sweden’s momentum. Eddie Genborg matched Pettersson’s efforts, showcasing his skill with a power-play goal and a crucial snap shot from the left face-off circle.
In addition to the goal scorers, Jack Berglund of the Philadelphia Flyers proved to be a playmaking wizard with three assists, while Viggo Bjorck and Liam Danielsson—both 2026 NHL Draft eligible players—added two assists each. Sweden’s Love Harenstram, representing the St. Louis Blues, was solid in net, making 28 saves throughout the game.
The United States Struggles
Despite a promising start, the U.S. team fell behind early and struggled to recover. Their defense was tested, and as Brady Knowling, making his World Juniors debut, allowed five goals on 28 shots, discrepancies in their play became evident. Brodie Ziemer of the Buffalo Sabres noted, “We started so hot, and we kind of fell apart at moments, undisciplined again tonight,” underscoring the challenges the team faced.
Game Progression: Sweden Takes Control
The opening moments of the game saw Sweden take an early lead, thanks to Casper Juustovaara’s opportunistic deflection off U.S. defenseman Logan Hensler’s skate, which brought the score to 1-0 at 9:17 of the first period. As the second period progressed, Genborg’s power-play goal solidified Sweden’s advantage to 2-0.
Pettersson’s wrist shot, extending the lead to 3-0, came as a turning point. Soon after, two unanswered goals from Pettersson and Genborg extended Sweden’s lead to 5-1, putting the U.S. team on the back foot as they chased the game.
U.S. Rally Falls Short
Chase Reid found the net for the United States with a power-play goal, narrowing the deficit to 3-1. However, the momentum was short-lived as Pettersson quickly responded with a short-handed goal, further complicating matters for the Americans. Despite efforts from Will Zellers and Teddy Stiga in the later stages of the game, who scored to close the gap to 5-3, Sweden’s Ivar Stenberg sealed victory with a 6-3 goal during a 5-on-3 power play.
Tactical Insights
U.S. coach Bob Motzko reflected on the challenges faced by his team, commenting, “Unfortunately the one bounce off our skate… we make a mistake and we’re chasing the game.” He emphasized the need for discipline and improved execution moving forward. The absence of key players, such as Cole Hutson and Max Plante, due to injuries, added to their difficulties. Hutson is expected to return for their upcoming game against Finland, which could bolster the U.S. defense.
Upcoming Matches
With this victory, Sweden moves on with confidence, set to face Latvia in the quarterfinal round on Friday. The U.S. has much to address before their next matchup, as they prepare to meet Finland at 6 p.m. ET. Both teams will look to refine their strategies as the tournament progresses.
As the excitement builds for the upcoming rounds, fans are keen to see if Sweden can clinch their first World Juniors gold medal since 2012 or if the United States can bounce back stronger than ever.