Italy veterans – Norway 0:3 (end) | Kazakhstan – Germany2 1:2 (1:2 after SO) | Sweden2 – Denmark 3:0 (end)
Finland – Latvia 2:3 (end) | Canada2 – Slovakia2 4:1 (end) | USA – Switzerland 3:2 (end)
final
Sweden2
3:0 (2:0, 0:0, 1:0)
Denmark
Saturday 10.05.2014, 15:45 • Chizhovka Arena, Minsk • World Championship
     
    There's the final buzzer, and Sweden have opened the defence of their world crown up with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Denmark! The Danes gave it a real good go, but their opponents were just too good in the end. Mikael Backlund grabbed a first period double for himself to put Sweden in control, and later on Gustav Nyquist put the icing on the cake. Thanks for following the game with us, and join me again later for the USA against Switzerland at the 2014 IIHF World Championships! (17:57:42)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:49
    Hjalmarsson! As he is set up at point blank range Simon Hjalmarsson can't get the better of the goalkeeper! And we're now into the final few seconds of the match with Sweden coasting to victory
     
    59:01
    Linus Klasen drives to the net with power on the left, but he just can't squeeze it home at the near post!
     
    57:55
    Sweden ice the puck and on that note take a timeout, they don't want to make any silly mistakes
     
    57:38
    Morten Poulsen is left completely unmarked to the right of the crease, he wrists going up high and the puck looks to have smashed into Anders Nilsson's mask!
     
    57:24
    Sweden's penalty kill is working well today and they are back to having five players on the ice
     
    57:03
    Denmark drift offside as they attempted to get set up in the zone
     
    55:24
    Tim Erixon for interference has been punished and Denmark have a late powerplay chance to get something going
     
    55:18
    Danish players whack away at the puck as it travels into the crease high but no one can make clean contact!
     
    53:45
    Lassen! Stefan Lassen wrists a one timer in from the high slot and Swedish defenders dive in front to block!
     
    52:50
    Denmark are now back to full strength with just over seven minutes remaining
     
    52:05
    Magnus Nygren winds up with traffic in front of him from distance, but Patrick Galbraith still manages to take it in his glove
     
    50:50
    Nikas Jensen for interference has been called into the penalty box and Sweden have two minutes on the powerplay to try and increase their advantage
     
    50:27
    Denmark have battled bravely but the Swedes have them just where they want them now, to come back from three down against this team is almost impossible
     
    48:13
    Goal for Team Sweden! That should seal it for the world champions! GUSTAV NYQUIST from the right of the slot cuts in, picks his spot and absolutely thrashes the puck past the goalkeeper and into the net, it's 3-0!
     
    47:51
    Johan Fransson takes a whack at the puck from the left hand boards looking for someone to make a telling deflection, but it travels only into the goalkeeper's pads
     
    46:26
    Jesper B Jensen takes the puck up at the point, drives it in but it's right down the throat of Anders Nilsson
     
    45:22
    Hjalmarsson! Straight after making a really poor pass on a two on one Simon Hjalmarsson gathers up the loose puck, cuts sharply into the slot and fires into the body of Patrick Galbraith!
     
    44:22
    Sweden are controlling the game well in this period so far, Denmark have barely had a touch of the puck
     
    42:04
    Sjogren! Mattias Sjogren plays the puck between the legs of his defender, unleashes a sharp wrister form the left faceoff circle but the netminder catches and holds!
     
    41:41
    They couldn't create anything at all though and Denmark are back to full strength already
     
    40:01
    The third and deciding period is underway with the Swedes on the powerplay for 01:41
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening 40 minutes of play-

    Shots on target- 23-16
    Saves made by the goalkeeper- 16-21
    Penalty minutes- 4-4
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:41
    Stefan Lassen for hooking has picked up a late penalty which will likely put Sweden on the powerplay for the start of the final stanza
     
    39:25
    Sweden drift offside as we enter the final few seconds of the second period with the Swedes still leading by two
     
    38:01
    Poulsen! On the turn Morten Poulsen looks to go upstairs on Anders Nilsson on the doorstep, but the netminder stands tall!
     
    37:40
    An excellent backhand pass from Jesper Jensen dishes Patrick Bjorkstrand who closing down on the right wrists into Nilsson's body
     
    36:37
    Joel Lundqvist just can't get his stick onto a high pass into the slot from the blue line. Sweden have gotten stronger as this period has wore on
     
    34:40
    Mattias Sjogren bursts right down the center of the zone, with a classy move dinks his way past his opposing defenders but he's denied up close by Patrick Galbraith! That would have been a stunning goal!
     
    34:10
    Denmark have survived that scare and they're back to full strength
     
    33:10
    Lindstrom! Now it's Sweden's turn to miss a gaping opportunity! Joakim Lindstrom slaps the puck out back to the point, he's played the return pass by the right hand post but with the empty net waiting to be hit he makes simply terrible contact!
     
    32:10
    It's now Sweden who are going on the powerplay as Stefan Lassen has been penalised for interference
     
    31:38
    Mikkel Boedker beats his defenders for pace on the right, backhands into the near post and Anders Nilsson with help from his defenders doesn't give away any second chances!
     
    30:58
    Sweden are to their relief now back at full strength
     
    29:05
    Staal! It's another one of those guilt edged chances gone begging for the Danes! Kim Staal lurking at the left of the crease is picked out, the netminder is already flat out but instead of hitting the empty net he finds the goalkeeper's body! Unbelievable!
     
    28:58
    Simon Hjalmarsson for tripping has been called and Denmark have their second powerplay of the day coming up
     
    27:41
    Lundqvist! He takes not one but two swipes at the puck as it rolls across the slot to the left hand post but the angle is just too tight for him!
     
    26:26
    Yet again it's Stefan Lassen who takes aim from the point for the Danes, and just like the first time Swedish defenders get their bodies in the way!
     
    25:01
    Ericsson! Jimmie Ericsson bares down on goal charging through on the right, lets a pacy wrist shot go and he shaves the near post!
     
    24:27
    A fierce pass is chucked right across the Swedish slot with no one getting anything on it! That could have been dangerous!
     
    23:44
    Lassen! Stefan Lassen creates space for himself at the point, he winds up for a heavy slapper but traffic in front of him block it before it gets to the net!
     
    21:53
    Denmark couldn't get even get away a shot on goal during that powerplay and their opponents are back to full strength
     
    20:51
    Joel Lundqvist skates away all on his own shorthanded, but he cracks a sharp wrist shot well over the bar from the high slot
     
    20:01
    Despite conceding that second goal the Danes do start the second period on the powerplay for 01:53
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the first period-

    Shots on target- 14-8
    Saves made by the goalkeeper- 8-12
    Penalty minutes- 2-0
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:53
    Just before the period is out Jimmie Ericsson has given the Danes a powerplay for the start of the second period for roughing
     
    19:23
    Goal for Team Sweden! True champions always punish their opponents for every missed opportunity! MIKAEL BACKLUND beautifully tips in a Joakim Lindstrom slapshot from the right flank to grab his and Sweden's second of the game, it's 2-0! Assists- Tim Erixon and Joakim Lindstrom
     
    18:09
    Wow! Denmark just cannot afford to waste such glorious chances! The puck somehow trickles its way right through the crease, Julian Jakobsen picks it up, lays the netminder on the ice but Anders Nilsson with some sort of miracle gets something on it! That's what you call a super save!
     
    17:31
    Rahimi! Klasen with a lovely move frees himself on the left, feeds Daniel Rahimi with a cross ice pass and Rahimi with a one timer makes the goalkeeper work glove side!
     
    16:41
    Denmark ice the puck. Sweden are certainly upping the tempo, the opening goal seems to have settled them down
     
    15:01
    The puck gets stuck right on top of Patrick Galbraith's net! And before anyone can bat it down the referees blow on the play
     
    13:23
    Axelsson! As a spinning pass enters the slot from behind the net Dick Axelsson takes it under his spell, twists and hits the goalkeeper's awaiting pads!
     
    12:54
    That goal will be of a real blow to the Danes who matched Sweden for the opening stages, but they cannot lose belief
     
    11:41
    Goal for Team Sweden! It's not a beauty but they all count! As the netminder can't hold on to a high wrister from the right the bouncing puck falls to MIKAEL BACKLUND who just about manages to stuff the puck home, it's 1-0! Assists- Mattias Ekholm
     
    09:21
    Linus Klasen skating out to the left from the center plays the puck into the near post looking for a rebound and Patrick Galbraith does well to shuffle it wide!
     
    07:39
    Oscar Moller on right of the doorstep sweeps the travelling puck into the side netting! Denmark are looking a bit suspect defensively at times
     
    06:54
    A wicked slapper from the right faceoff circle is cracked inches wide of Anders Nilsson's net! That wasn't far away at all from the far post!
     
    06:39
    Jesper Jensen is left all alone on the right of the crease, he cuts in sharply before wristing into the near post but Anders Nilsson gathers it in with his chest!
     
    05:25
    Ahnelov! A wonderful Swedish counterattack on the right flank is finished off by a clever pass across the slot from which Jonas Ahnelov can only stab the puck into the goalkeeper's chest! He should have done better!
     
    04:38
    Emil Kristensen almost finds some space just inside the blue line, but as he attempts a low cutting wrister Swedish defenders close him down
     
    03:33
    How didn't that go in! The Danes play around with the puck too comfortably in their own zone, a shocking pass across the slot is caught by Mikael Backlund but his poked effort rolls across the goal line! Denmark got away with that one!
     
    02:57
    Patrick Galbraith sweeps up a routine effort form the left faceoff circle into his glove to freeze. Denmark don't look overawed by their opponents at all
     
    02:21
    Sweden drift offside. Both sides have started with decent energy here
     
    01:39
    Ericsson! Tim Erixon dumps the puck into the slot from the point, the netmimder pushes it right in front of him to Jimmie Ericsson who just can't adjust himself in time!
     
    00:34
    Morten Madsen for the Danes skates away on the left, unleashes a powerful wrist shot that the Swedish netminder has to turn away for his first save of the day
     
    00:01
    Here we go! Sweden will be looking to get their title defence off to a successful start
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are now out on to the ice and the opening faceoff is moments away!
     
    Starting lineups:

    Sweden: Nilsson (Eriksson)- Ekholm, Gustafsson, Moller, Backlund, Lindstrom- Erixon, Jarnkrok, Ericsson, Nyquist- Ahnelov, Rahimi, Sjogren, Hjalmarsson, Axelsson- Nygren, Lundqvist, Danielsson, Klasen

    Denmark: Galbraith (Nielsen)- Lassen, Larsen, Hansen, Madsen, Boedker- Jesper B Jensen, M Lauridsen, Storm, Bjorkstrand, Jesper Jansen- Kristensen, O Laurdisen, Green, Piulsen, Christensen- Bruggisser, Staal, N Jensen, Jakobsen

    Referees: Piechaczek, Sidorenko, Kaval, Lederer, Semjonov.
     
    These two sides are part of Group A which is also made up of Norway, the Czech Republic, Italy, France, Canada and Slovakia. All of those teams have already played at least one game already, with Sweden and Denmark only making their tournament bow today.
     
    Sweden come into this tournament off the back of winning a silver medal at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, and having been crowned world champions in this very event last year in their own capital city Stockholm. Denmark aren't exactly one of ice hockey's powerhouses but last year they performed rather well, collecting six points in seven group matches to make sure that they would stay in the top IIHF division.
     
    The IIHF World Championships is something that we all look forward to every year, and this tournament has started in thrilling fashion. Minsk is the capital of a hockey mad nation, Belarus, and this country has been waiting for an event like this for a long time.
     
    Good afternoon and welcome to this 2014 IIHF World Championship Group A match between the reigning world champions Sweden and underdogs Denmark. Despite this being a real David and Goliath matchup, we should be in for a very interesting game.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 15:45.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 12. Backlund (Ekholm), 20. Backlund (Erixon, Lindstrom), 49. Nyquist

    Sweden2: Nilsson (Eriksson)- Ekholm, Gustafsson, Moller, Backlund, Lindstrom- Erixon, Jarnkrok, Ericsson, Nyquist- Ahnelov, Rahimi, Sjogren, Hjalmarsson, Axelsson- Nygren, Lundqvist, Danielsson, Klasen
    Denmark: Galbraith (Nielsen)- Lassen, Larsen, Hansen, Madsen, Boedker- Jesper B Jensen, M Lauridsen, Storm, Bjorkstrand, Jesper Jansen- Kristensen, O Laurdisen, Green, Piulsen, Christensen- Bruggisser, Staal, N Jensen, Jakobsen
    Referees: Piechaczek, Sidorenko, Kaval, Lederer, Semjonov