Sweden Shuts Out Slovakia 5-0 in World Championship Opener

Sweden kicks off the 2025 World Hockey Championship with a convincing 5-0 win over Slovakia, showcasing their depth and skill.

The home crowd at Stockholm's Avicii Arena departed satisfied after Sweden secured a convincing 5-0 victory over Slovakia in their World Championship opener. This dominant win marked a strong start for the Tre Kronor in Group A of the 2025 World Hockey Championship, which Sweden is co-hosting with Denmark.

Sweden's shutout victory propelled them to the top of the Group A standings. Earlier in the day, Finland had set the tone with a 2-1 win over Austria, but Sweden's performance ensured they took the lead in the group standings.

Sweden dominated the early stages, but it took them until the 12th minute to break through. The deadlock was finally opened when Slovakia failed to clear the puck from their zone, allowing Elias Lindholm to capitalize. Lindholm passed to Emil Heineman, who delivered a precise cross to Mikael Backlund, and he slotted the puck home.

Slovakia remained competitive late in the first period, but their chances of a close scoreline at halftime were dashed in the final 70 seconds. Marcus Johansson initiated the decisive sequence, driving to the goal from the blue line. Although Patrik Rybar made a save on Johansson's shot, Marcus Pettersson capitalized on the rebound, finding Leo Carlsson open in space. Carlsson sealed the second goal, further tipping the match in Sweden's favor.

Sweden sealed their dominance with just six seconds left in the period when Adam Larsson found Jonas Brodin with a pass from behind the net. Brodin unleashed a powerful shot from the right wing that proved too much for Patrik Rybar to handle, extending Sweden's lead to 3-0.

Despite the deficit, Vladimir Orszagh's young Slovak side refused to give up and came out aggressively in the second period. However, they were unable to breach Sweden's defense, as Jacob Markström made saves on all nine of their shots on goal.

Sweden waited until the final two minutes of the period to strike again, with Erik Gustafsson moving to the left side and delivering a precise shot-pass to Elias Lindholm. Lindholm redirected the puck into the net, scoring Sweden's fourth goal of the game.

Crowd roaring, Sweden scoring 🎉🇸🇪

Game Recap 👇https://t.co/4iYUW7gL0m#MensWorlds #IIHF @trekronorse pic.twitter.com/aCuIRS7RVh

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 9, 2025

The third period was more subdued, with Mexico waves circulating around the arena, reflecting the reduced intensity. Slovakia didn't manage a shot on goal until the final minutes, giving Sweden ample control.

Sweden sealed their dominant win with a stylish fifth goal in the 58th minute. Marcus Pettersson and Rasmus Andersson moved the puck across to Mika Zibanejad, who delivered an impressive one-timer between his legs, past a helpless Patrik Rybar. This sealed the 5-0 victory for Sam Hallam's side, showcasing their readiness for their next challenge against Austria.