Tre Kronor moves on to semis

Sweden scored three goals in the final eight minutes of the first period and skated to an impressive 5-2 win over Czechia tonight in front of a loud and yellow-clad, sold-out crowd at Avicii Arena.

The win takes the hosts to the semi-finals while Czechia goes home, disappointed after a gold-medal finish on home ice last year. The win also avenges last year’s semi-finals when Czechia romped to a 7-3 win over Tre Kronor.

A tentative opening few minutes loosened up after the referees whistled four penalties midway through the period, two  a side, and it was on Sweden’s second PP that they opened the scoring. Captain Rasmus Andersson made a perfect slap-pass to Leo Carlsson skating to the blue ice, and he redirected the puck under the right glove of Karel Vejmelka at 12:40.

Lucas Raymond then went to work. He picked up a loose puck in centre ice off a giveaway, recognized a slow line change, and bolted in alone on goal. He beat Vejmelka to the blocker side. Then, with just 27.9 seconds remaining, he struck again. Moving into the slot, he delayed shooting, then beat the goalie to pretty much the same spot as his first goal.

Czechia coach Radim Rulik decided to make a goaltending change at the intermission, so Daniel Vladar came out to start the second. His team got back into the game early on when Sweden took consecutive penalties that resulted in a five-on-three for 12 seconds. It wasn’t much time, but it was enough.

Martin Necas got the puck to one side of the goal, and when he saw Markstrom overplay him, he passed to the other side of the goal where Roman Cervenka had an open net. He scored with only two seconds left in the first penalty, so the Czechs still had a lengthy power play. They nearly got closer when Jiri Tichacek snapped an accurate shot from the slot, but Markstrom stuck out the right pads to make a key save.

The Swedes restored their two-goal lead later in the period off a quick series of passes from seep in their end to the Czechia goalmouth. In the end, Mika Zibanejad made the final pass to Carlsson, who scored his second of the night and fourth of the tournament. 

Tre Kronor might well have extended their lead further, but Vladar made two sensational stops with his outstretched left pad on Isac Lundestrom. 

The Czechs got a bit closer midway through the third. Daniel Vozenilek brough the puck out front and Michael Spacek had a couple of whacks at it before getting it over the goal line. The Czechs got no closer, and…