Czech Republic Hold On to Beat Sweden 4-3 After Fast Start
Three goals in the opening 13 minutes gave the Czech Republic a 4-3 win over Sweden in a wild Group B clash at the 2026 World Ice Hockey Championship.
A fast start proved decisive as the Czech Republic edged Sweden in Group B. Penalties and power plays shape Czech Republic’s 4-3 win over Sweden...
The Czech Republic raced into a 3-0 lead within the first 13 minutes and held on to defeat Sweden 4-3 in their Group B match at the 2026 World Ice Hockey Championship in Fribourg, Switzerland.
Both teams came into the game with one win and one loss. Each had beaten Denmark by a wide margin, but Sweden had lost to favorites Canada, while the Czech Republic suffered a surprise overtime defeat to Slovenia.
Stung by that loss, the Czechs came out with a point to prove and controlled the first 13 minutes. They scored three unanswered goals to stun Sweden, with the opener arriving after three minutes when Matej Blumel tipped Filip Hronek’s shot from the blue line past the goalie.
Tempers flared five minutes later when both teams had a player sent off for roughing. The Czechs then capitalized on another power play after Ivar Stenberg joined him in the box three minutes later. Dominik Kubalik doubled the lead with a one-timer from distance.
Just over 30 seconds after that, it was 3-0. Daniel Vozenilek won the puck in a scramble behind the Swedish net and fed Jakub Flek, who scored from close range despite Magnus Hellberg’s efforts to stop it.
More fights broke out after the goal. Following a lengthy review, the Czechs lost Jan Scotka, who was ejected for cross-checking.
That penalty completely shifted the momentum. The five-minute power play gave Sweden a way back into the game. Midway through the advantage, Emil Heineman delivered a neat reverse pass to Joel Persson, who had time to set himself and fire through traffic.
That goal got Tre Kronor on the board. With the power play almost over, they cut the deficit to one again. Heineman and Persson combined once more, moving the puck quickly before setting up Simon Holstrom for a powerful finish.
The Czech Republic were relieved to return to full strength. They started the second period well and restored their two-goal lead in the fourth minute. Jiri Cernoch drove through the middle, played a one-two with Ondrej Beranek, and took a shot with just enough on it to beat Hellberg. A video review was needed to confirm the puck had crossed the line.
Czech indiscipline let Sweden back in again. Less than a minute after going up 4-2, Filip Hronek was called for boarding. After a patient build-up on the power play, Oliver Ekman-Larsson took matters into his own hands and rifled the puck into the roof of the net to make it 4-3.
After the midpoint of the game, Oskar Stenberg was penalized for hooking, but the power play was nullified seconds later when Roman Cervanka was called for tripping. Neither team scored during the 4-on-4, and the Czech Republic held their narrow lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
Czechia comes out on top! 💪🇨🇿 #MensWorlds #IIHF @czehockey
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 18, 2026
🔗 Game recap: https://t.co/TyciKi3926 pic.twitter.com/R8n6uuLqIm
Sam Hallam’s side had a chance to level early in the third after David Tomasek was called for hooking, but the Czech defense killed it off. That set the tone for the period. The Czech back line held firm as Sweden outshot them 11-1, but could not find an equalizer.
Sweden pulled Magnus Hellberg for an extra attacker in the final minutes, but the Czechs held on for a 4-3 win. Radim Rulik’s side now sit on seven points, second only to Canada. Sweden have work to do, with three points from three games and fifth place in the group.
No comments:
Leave comment here