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WHL Red Deer Rebels

Swedish Power Play Red Hot in Win over Russia

December 27, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


Sweden's special teams were downright special Sunday afternoon at the Peavey Mart Centrium.

The Swedes fired three power play goals and added a short-handed marker en route to a 6-3 victory over Russia in a World Junior Hockey Championship Group B game played before roughly 3,500 fans.

Oskar Oulauson, a first-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021 year's NHL entry draft, gave the Swedes a lead they would never relinquish just 10 seconds into the game's first power play, his wrist shot from the right circle beating netminder Yaroslav Askarov.

"We got off to a good start with the first one pretty quick," said Sweden head coach Tomas Monten.

The lone goal held up through a tight-checking first period that produced just nine shots on goal, five by Sweden.

The Russians had a chance to pull even on a power play of their own seven minutes into the second period, but Swedish defenceman Simon Edvinsson created a turnover inside his own zone and scored on a short-handed breakaway. Askarov got a piece of the puck but it trickled through his pads and over the line.

"I think we played good, we played for each other," said Edvinsson, taken by Detroit with the seventh pick of this year's NHL draft. "We had a good mindset."

Sweden went up by three with a two-man advantage seven minutes later as Emil Andrae, a Philadelphia Flyers draft pick (second round in 2020) shifted across the high slot and beating a screened Askarov to the glove side.

Despite his club's power play success, Monten said it could have been better in the middle period.

"I think we made some hard plays in the second period on the power play," he said. "We tried to force it more, force pucks through. We talked about moving the puck on the outside, taking what we get.

"So I think we got a little too sloppy with the puck, but overall we played pretty good."

Fyodor Svechkov, a first-round pick of Nashville this year, got the Russians on the board late in the second from a goalmouth scramble, his offering glancing off Edvinsson's skate and past goalie Jesper Wallstedt.

Sweden took what appeared to be a comfortable 4-1 early in the final frame, again on the power play. Alexander Holtz (seventh overall pick, New Jersey, 2020) pulled the trigger during another five-on-three advantage, connecting on a one-timer from the left circle.

The Russians were insistent their night wasn't over, however, as Matvei Michkov, a top prospect for the 2023 NHL draft, scored back to back goals. His first called for a review after he crashed the net, and his second was a seemingly harmless shot from below the goal line that glanced off the shoulder of Wallstedt and in.

"Of course the game is upside down, every hockey game is like that," said Edvinsson of the Russian rally. "But we played strong defence, we did a good job."

The Swedes put the contest away when Theodor Niederbach, a second-round pick of Detroit in 2020, busted down the left side and beat Russian goalie Yegor Guskov through the pads, and Daniel Ljungham scored into an empty net in the final minute.

"I like our competitiveness," said Monten. "We scored six goals and I don't think we're going to score that much every game.

"Most important for us is to play a good defensive game, play a grinding game. I think we skated with the Russians, they're really a team that creates chances, but we kept cool defensively. We kept playing hard and that's an identity I think we need to bring if we're going to be a team in the end."

Speaking of in the end, it was Sweden's power play potency that allowed them to start the tournament with a victory.

"Our power play was really good today. The right players scored power play goals and we're really grateful for that," said Edvinsson.

Wallstedt, selected by Minnesota in the first round of this year's NHL entry draft, made 27 saves for the winners.

Askarov, picked by Nashville in the first round in 2020, stopped 13 of 16 shots before being replaced at the start of the third period by Guskov, who blocked five of seven shots.

United States 3 Slovakia 2

In the evening game at the Centrium, the United States held on for a 3-2 win over Slovakia.

Landon Slaggert's goal at 12:42 of the second period stood up as the winner as the US staked themselves to a 3-0 lead before Martin Chromiak scored a pair of third-period goals for Slovakia.

Drew Commesso turned aside 23 shots for the US while Simon Latkoczy made 39 saves in the Slovakia net.

Canada 6 Czechia 3

In Edmonton, Canada opened with a 6-3 Group A win over Czechia as Owen Power became the first Canadian defenceman to record a hat trick in the WJC.

Also scoring for the Canadians were Mason McTavish, Donovan Sebrango and Olen Zellweger.

Michael Gut, Pavel Novak and Stanislav Srozil replied for Czechia, which got a 31-save effort from Jakob Malek.

Dylan Garand made 14 saves in a winning cause.

Finland 3 Germany 1

Earlier in the provincial capital, Samuel Helenius tallied twice, Joel Maata added a single goal and Brad Lambert had two assists as Finland topped Germany 3-1.

Luca Munzenberger scored in a losing cause.

Leevi Merilainen made 23 saves for the Finns. Nikita Quapp stopped 19 shots at the other end.

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