Elias Lindholm's Brilliance Secures Sweden's Quarterfinal Spot

Sweden advances to the knockout stage of the 2025 World Hockey Championship with a 4-0 win over Slovenia, thanks to Elias Lindholm's hat-trick. Get the latest updates.

Sweden secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Slovenia at the 2025 World Hockey Championship, thanks to a hat-trick from Elias Lindholm. This win kept Sweden perfect with five matches played and booked their spot in the quarterfinals with games to spare.

Despite being outshot 16 times in the first 20 minutes, Slovenia's defense held strong, and the game remained goalless at the first intermission. However, Sweden's persistence eventually paid off as they broke through the Slovenian resistance and cruised to a comfortable win.

Sweden's defensive deadlock was finally broken five minutes into the second period when Mikael Backlund set up Elias Lindholm for a decisive shot that squeezed past goaltender Lukas Horak.

Sweden's attack continued to press, but they couldn't capitalize on two power plays in the period. It wasn't until the final two minutes of the second period that they managed to double their lead, further solidifying their advantage.

Sweden doubled their lead in the final minutes of the second period when Filip Forsberg's puck recovery led to a rebound opportunity. Marcus Pettersson's clever pass set up Elias Lindholm for a second goal.

Lindholm sealed his hat-trick midway through the third period, receiving a pass from Jonas Brodin and finding time to pick his spot. This goal brought him to nine points in the championship, tying with David Pastrnak. Sweden's momentum continued as Marcus Johansson added a fourth goal, securing their 4-0 victory and sending the Avicii Arena crowd into raptures.

Another shutout for @trekronorse 👑

Game Recap 👇https://t.co/F0y2qiqT8c#MensWorlds #IIHF pic.twitter.com/YYMHHyfLAj

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 16, 2025

Sweden's 4-0 victory marked a relatively easy shutout for goalkeeper Jacob Markstrom, who faced only nine shots compared to Lukas Horak's 60. This win puts Sweden back at the top of Group A.

Sweden aims for a sixth consecutive win as they face France next. Although Sweden has already secured a spot in the knockout stage, they're determined to maintain momentum. France, on the other hand, has already been eliminated from contention, having accumulated just one point in four group stage games.

Slovenia's next match is against Austria on Sunday, presenting them with an opportunity to earn their first points in the tournament. This match could be crucial for Slovenia's morale and standings.

Austria secured a significant victory in Group A, winning 5-2 over France with three goals in the first 16 minutes. This win marked their first success within 60 minutes in the tournament. Austria currently sits sixth, just two points behind Slovakia in fourth place. France, on the other hand, trails Austria by one spot but lags four points further back.

In Group B, Switzerland reclaimed the top spot after a convincing 3-0 win over Norway. This victory moved them two points ahead of the Czechs. Denmark also kept their knockout stage hopes alive with a substantial win over Hungary, further intensifying the competition in the group.