Two goals from St Louis Blues forward Patrik Berglund helped Sweden oust defending champions Czech Republic 5-2 in the world ice hockey championship semi-final on Friday.
Sweden will now play Finland in an all-Nordic final after they powered to a 3-0 win over Russia inspired by a spectacular goal from 19-year-old Mikael Granlund, the youngest player in the team.
Russia’s NHL heavyweights Alexander Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk never got going as Finland breezed through.
Photo: AFP
After a scoreless first period, Granlund scooped the puck up on to his stick behind Russia’s goal, before flipping it past Russia netminder Konstantin Barulin.
The goal was allowed to stand after a video review to determine whether his stick had been swung too high.
“It was one of the best things I have ever seen in my career,” Washington Capitals left wing Ovechkin told reporters of Granlund’s trick-shot goal.
The teenager’s Finnish teammate Jyrki Valivaara echoed Ovechkin’s sentiment.
“It was amazing. I haven’t seen him do that before,” Valivaara said. “We were all just laughing on the bench. He has a great future.”
Finnland also grabbed two goals inside two minutes in the third period through Jani Lajunen and Jarkko Immonen.
In the other semi-final, the Czech Republic opened the scoring at the start of the second period when Marek Zidlicky skated down the wing to set up a goal for Patrik Elias.
Sweden equalized a minute later when Berglund hammered in a slap shot from the point.
Mikael Backlund made it 2-1 to Sweden later in the same period with a wrist shot that gave netminder Ondrej Pavelec little chance.
The Czech Republic peppered the goal in the third period, but netminder Viktor Fasth held them at bay and Jimmie Ericsson extended Sweden’s lead after latching on to a pass from Backlund.
Jakob Silfverberg added a fourth goal. Elias pulled one back for the Czech Republic, before Berglund scored into an empty net.
“We had to respect the Czechs because they are a good team,” Sweden captain Berglund said. “We have had some tough games in the tournament and did a good job in this one to keep pressing.”
Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan yesterday dumped defending champions Germany out of the United Cup with world No. 2 Alexander Zverev sidelined by an arm injury barely a week away from the Australian Open. The upset in Perth sent the Kazakhs into the semi-finals of the 18-nation tournament. In Sydney, women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek led Poland into the last eight by winning a rematch of her 2023 French Open final against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. Britain also progressed to the quarter-finals with Katie Boulter’s dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Olivia Gadecki enough to guarantee they won their group. The US and
HAT-TRICK PREP: World No. 1 Sabalenka clinched her first win of the season, as she aims to become the first woman in 20 years to win three Australian Opens in succession Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Taylor Fritz yesterday all clocked impressive wins as tennis powerhouses Italy and the US surged into the quarter-finals of the mixed-team United Cup. World No. 3 Gauff swept past Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-2 to avenge a loss at the Paris Olympics, while Fritz took care of Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 in searing Perth heat. That was enough to put the Americans — last year’s winners — into a last-eight clash with China today, while Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan today are to meet defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, in the other Perth quarter-final. In Sydney, the in-form
Taiwanese e-sports team Ban Mei Gaming (BMG) claimed second place at this year’s Arena of Valor International Championship (AIC 2024) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, after losing to the Thai team Bacon Time (BAC) in the finals on Sunday In the final match, BMG faced BAC, who finished top in the winners’ bracket, but lost 0-4. However, BMG still walked away with US$100,000 in prize money for finishing runners-up. The AIC 2024 began with 16 teams competing in the Swiss Stage, where teams played up to five rounds. Those securing three wins advanced to the Knockout Stage, while teams
Japan’s national high-school soccer tournament is thriving after more than 100 years, attracting huge crowds, millions watching on TV and breeding future stars, despite professional clubs trying to attract young talent. The annual tournament kicked off on Saturday and is still regarded as the pinnacle of amateur soccer with young players dreaming of playing in the final in front of tens of thousands at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Matches are a massive occasion for the whole school as student cheering squads wave flags, bang drums and roar on their teams in a spectacle of noise and color. “All the
RSS