Sweden thrashes Austria 11-0 to take opening game in Group A
The second game of Day One at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship saw 2022 bronze medalists Sweden take on Austria.
Sweden opened the scoring with less than seven minutes remaining in the first period. After a turnover, Buffalo Sabres prospect Isak Rosen picked up the puck and put it past Thomas Pfarrmaier to make it 1-0 Sweden.
Isak Rosén capitalizes on the turnover to give Sweden a 1-0 lead 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/nXErFjfpFx— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
A few minutes later, San Jose Sharks prospect Filip Bystedt was left alone at the side of the Austrian net, picked up the rebound and scored to extend Sweden's lead to 2-0.
Filip Bystedt taps in the rebound to extend Sweden's lead 🚨
Sweden 2 - 0 Austria#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/NcxD1RlX1L— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Less than one minute into the middle frame, Isak Rosen picked up his second of the game, firing the puck short-side, under the bar on Pfarrmaier to make it 3-0 Sweden.
Isak Rosén picks the corner for his second of the game 🚨
Sweden 3 - 0 Austria #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/bTLA8MU2lX— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Just over two minutes later with a penalty about to be called, St. Louis Blues prospect Simon Robertsson skated in Austria's zone with puck, put it through a screen and it found its way into the back of the net, 4-0 Sweden.
Simon Robertsson buries it on the delayed penalty to extend Sweden's lead 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/PaHooVwze0— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Sweden then extended their lead to 5-0 while on the penalty kill later on in the second period. Oskar Pettersson throws it towards the Austrian net, it his Thomas Pfarrmaier and redirects off Milton Oscarsson's leg and in.
Sweden capitalizes on Austria's turnover to make it 5-0.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/mDC4xqqZGN— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored his first of the tournament with just under ten minutes remaining in the second period to make it 6-0. Lekkerimaki's goal forced Austria to change netminder, with 17-year-old Benedikt Oschgan coming into the game for Thomas Pffarmaier.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki picks his spot 🎯#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/cbFXC93zYj— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Two minutes later, Liam Ohgren, Minnesota's 2022 first-round pick, one-timed the puck top corner past Oschgan to give Sweden a 7-0 lead.
Minnesota Wild prospect Liam Öhgren fires home another goal for Sweden 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/wz6dR6AqM2— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Less than one minute after Ohgren's goal, Sweden added an eighth. New York Islanders prospect Calle Odelius throws the puck on net from the point and it finds its way through a screened Benedikt Oschgan.
A point shot gets past Oschgan and Sweden's lead is 8.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/tKVah7o1EY— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
It didn't take long into the final period for Sweden to add a ninth goal. The Swedes had a three-on-one, where Winnipeg Jets prospect Fabian Wagner put the puck under Oschgan's blocker to make it 9-0.
Fabian Wagner rifles one home off the rush 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/GPi3IsEFI5— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Sweden added a tenth goal on the powerplay. Six seconds into the man advantage, the puck went off of Filip Bystedt's leg and past Oschgan. 10-0 Sweden.
Filip Bystedt scores his second of the game on the power-play.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/P7NTiaONMj— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2022
Late in the third period, while at four-on-four, Oskar Pettersson scored Sweden's 11th goal of the game, tapping home a rebound that came off the post.
The Swedes will sit in top-spot in Group A, for now, with a 1-0-0-0 record (3 points), while Austria is in last. While it is early, the 11 goals allowed by Austria will likely hurt them as they look to push for the fourth quarter-final spot in Group A or will have to settle for fifth, forcing them to a best-of-three relegation series against the fifth place team in Group B.
Next up for both teams: Sweden will face Germany tomorrow, while Austria will also play on Tuesday against Czechia.
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Kyle Connor | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Alex Tuch | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Owen Power | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Michael Bunting | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Drew Helleson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jirí Kulich | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Isac Lundestrom | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Vladislav Namestnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nino Niederreiter | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Gabriel Vilardi | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jason Zucker | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Leo Carlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ross Johnston | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Evgeni Malkin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Morrissey | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Perfetti | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Bryan Rust | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mark Scheifele | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Trevor Zegras | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 20 | 17 | 3 | - | 34 | |
Wild | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 29 | |
Hurricanes | 19 | 14 | 5 | - | 28 | |
Devils | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
Golden Knights | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
Flames | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||