Sweden: Siltanews – News Desk
A late-game surge and nerves of steel send Sweden into the gold-medal match against Canada.
It was the kind of match that kept fans on the edge of their seats — a tense, hard-fought semi-final between two hockey powerhouses. But in the end, it was Sweden who edged out the USA in a dramatic 4–3 victory to book their spot in the U18 World Championship final.
“We played to win,” said national team head coach Thomas Paananen, after what was arguably one of the most nail-biting finishes of the tournament so far.
Things didn’t exactly go Sweden’s way in the opening minutes. Paananen admitted the team struggled to find their footing early on. That gave Team USA an opportunity — and they took it, opening the scoring less than five minutes into the second period.
But the Americans’ lead didn’t last long. The Swedes responded with calm determination, equalizing soon after and shifting the momentum. From that point on, it was anyone’s game.
The third period delivered the drama, with both teams pushing hard to tip the balance. At one point, Sweden faced a serious challenge, going two men down and playing 3-on-5 — a nightmare scenario in any hockey match.
Yet remarkably, the Swedes held their ground. Not only did they defend their goal with grit, but they went on to score two critical goals during the period.