Moncton. In the playoffs, it’s all about winning.
Tegan Jr. has succeeded – and we will remember Moncton’s magical transformation
When he was most needed, he stepped forward: Leo Carlsson!
He was speechless and sometimes frustrated, but when the going got tough, things prevailed for Leo Carlsson.
When Sweden was on its way out of the tournament, he scored the tying goal with 3.27 remaining in the third period.
Prior to that, the Örebro striker scored Sweden’s first equalizing goal.
And when Sweden went into the play box in the dying minutes, Viktor Sternborg broke a free and scored the winning goal with just 1.05 remaining.
An unlikely turnaround in a match that felt lost for so long.
Because no one is going to say it looked particularly good in 60 minutes, but the junior title has been won and that’s what the playoffs are all about.
Best when it matters most.
Just as expected, Finland was a very different opposition to the one Canada put up on New Year’s Eve. Opposition, speed and individual skill level suited the Swedish team significantly better.
Be like it never happened
Everything restarted. The new venue, the new arena, the qualifiers and all possibilities were open to whoever wanted to receive them.
For at least 26 minutes, the Swedish team appeared to be hungry.
The junior crowns received a real lesson against Canada when they were completely passed over in the opening game.
I thought you stupid.
Because how did the team handle that grant?
Absolutely. It was as if it had never happened.
The start against Finland was, if possible, weaker, with the difference that this time the opponent was much softer.
However, Finland was several layers better than Sweden.
Junior crowns started with a really bad change of ice after 1.10 and the already tired players had to stay on the ice.
And it continued just as bad.
Slow and bad decisions with the puck, a passing game that was well below acceptable standards and again very little in close matches.
Two shots in 26 minutes
After 3.10 came Finland’s logical goal.
Long exchanges, bad exchanges, stupid dribbles and bad body language in general.
Ten minutes later it was 7-0 on shots.
Twelve minutes later came the first Swedish shot. Then the audience cheered a little mockingly, I felt. A minute later, Sweden got a power play. After 21 seconds, Isak Rosen lost the puck and then tripped.
The equalizing goal came on the junior’s second shot. Ludwig Jansson found Leo Carlson’s club. It made one sense all the way through the press stand how important it was to the yet-to-be-speaking Carlson.
A successful sequence in a completely botched period of Sweden.
1-1 after 20 minutes was impressive numbers.
After 26 minutes, the junior champion hit two shots against Jani Lambienen and sat back and wondered if the guys wanted to win.
magical transformation
Thank God it got better.
Because things suddenly started to look up in front of the Finnish goal. Suddenly the Swedish players won some scrimmage and entered the dangerous area.
First Leo Carlsson was a great center, then Fabian Liesel in the post and a little later the same Liesel in the bar.
Junior crowns were the better team for the rest of the middle period and finally got some time in the area forcing the Finns to put some energy into defence.
The analysis of the third period is not easy. The Junior Crowns felt on their way out of the tournament after Finland’s 2-1 defeat, but found a way to turn around and win.
The junior crowns are preparing for the semi-finals and qualifying for the quarter-finals, which is what most people in the Czech Republic expected. But we will have to wait with the opposition until late at night when Canada’s meeting with Slovakia ends.
For example, if the Czech Republic loses in the quarterfinals, Canada will qualify in the semifinals.
But now the Swedish players are enjoying a magical few hours of turnaround in Moncton.