Halifax. No, it didn’t work.
Not this time either.
Junior Crowns missed out on the final in the cruelest way imaginable.
It would have been the first final since 2018 and only the second since 2014. Sweden was 38 seconds away from a new final.
Power play aside, Tegan Jr. was close to a perfect match.
Best team ever so far in the tournament.
Many were very good.
Elias Pettersson and Ludwig Jansson were behind the goal and not least because they put in an incredibly good backhand game together.
I was also very fond of the clever Fabian Wagner.
Only 17-year-old Ax Sanden Bilica was so calm and so mature in his game that I just sat up and snapped. Victor Sternberg’s sacrifice game. Goalkeeper Karl Lindbom. I can name a lot more than that.
The strength of the junior crowns so far has been that almost everyone has achieved personal bests in the tournament.
But with 38 seconds left, the 1-1 equalizer was scored by star Czech full-back David Jereczek, who ironically slid under Lindbom’s guard.
With 50 seconds left in overtime, the Czech Republic decided.
It could have turned the game around
There are absolute key sequences in the match. One of these goals appeared shortly after Sweden’s goal early in the middle half.
Junior crowns had to play five-for-three at 1.55.
After 1.21 without a goal, Hävelid burned his only timeout, but nothing helped. Among other things, Sweden lost both ties despite having two more men on the ice. The game was typical.
Everyone understands what it’s like to go two goals up in this situation with a goalkeeper like Karl Lindbom in the back.
It is of course possible to debate whether Milton Oscarson should be inside. If the yet unspeakable Fabian Liesel had received a lot of confidence.
The choices Magnus Hävelid made there and then which are of course easy to bring up in hindsight.
Fabian Liesel was supposed to be a key player in the attacking line. This was definitely not the case.
In any case, in the end it was a sub-par power play, one of the absolute worst tournaments, which diminished Sweden’s chances of a gold medal.
Quite logically, it shouldn’t be possible for you to lie at such a low level if you really want to go far.
There is tremendous mental strength
After three rather poor matches in the last matches against the big nations, the focus was initially there in the semi-finals.
What position did Tegan Junior get into? really good.
More forward, more running.
Faster in the puck and more aggressive in the melee game.
Magnus Hävelid also matched the team strongly, mainly going to three series.
When it came time to mourn the Swedish kid in the tournament so far, power play happened, very little (again).
But on the whole a fully approved introduction.
Elias Peterson, who I had my doubts about during the tournament, is now the defensive leader he used to be.
And barely two minutes into the middle of the period, the offensive lineman shot. Ludvig Jansson leads the tournament’s indoor scoring league, and now he’s sent the first goal home with a shot straight into the crossbar.
Kind of like only a player in that famous region does.
It is still valid for reloading
Sweden has not lost to the Czech Republic in the JVM since New Year’s Eve 2002.
So it was almost 20 years ago.
playground then?
Well, in this arena in Halifax.
I don’t think it’s too hard to lose against a country Sweden hasn’t lost in 20 years. For the Czech Republic, who brought 15 returnees from the tournament in August, they have already made a big step and have been at least as good as the big nations.
Quite on par with Canada and the United States.
The last Czech medal (bronze) came 18 years ago. Their last final was when they won the gold medal in 2001 when Pavel Brendel was the target. Now they have a new chance and it is good anyway that the Upper Portion is expanded into a small toilet.
For juniors, a bronze match against Canada or the United States awaits.
I’ve had to watch some really lousy bronze games from the Swedish side as the team didn’t have the energy to recharge after losing badly in the semi-finals.
I can agree that bronze matches are not a standout feature, but when they are there and you are there, you have to make the most of them.
Bronze is not gold, but it is much better than ending the tournament with a loss and coming home with nothing.
But for now he mostly feels rejected. just empty. Damn plot.