Sweden never gave Poland any air.
Already after six minutes, Tre Kronor had gone up to a 2-0 lead after goals from Marcus Johansson and Lucas Raymond.
In the second period, Erik Karlsson thundered in 3-0 halfway into the period. It was the team captain’s second point of the night, but it would later turn out that he wasn’t done there.
“Shot me in the back of the thigh”
Through Swedish carelessness, Poland reduced at the beginning of the third period. Alan Lyszczarczyk scored from a position behind the Swedish box when he corralled the puck through the back of Sweden’s goalkeeper, Filip Gustavsson.
– I was a little aggressive in the free position from the beginning and the leg ended up outside the post. In order for me to get the leg back in, I have to open up a bit and I made the decision to stay seated. He shot me in the back of the thigh and there was a gap there apparently, says Gustavsson to SVT Sport.
The baking duo offered delicacy
In the third period, André Burakovsky increased the score to 4-1 before the back duo Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson would offer the delicacy of the evening.
Hedman drove the puck up through the center zone, into the center over the offensive blue line, into between two red-clad defenders and then released the puck to Karlsson in the left drawing circle.
Karlsson didn’t hesitate, pressed straight away and found the first cross until the final score, 5-1.
– I still have to give Poland credit, they play well as a team and as individuals. It was still a fairly close match and they took advantage of their chances and still created a little, says Karlsson after the victory.
The next match for Tre Kronor is against Germany already on Monday evening.