Sweden won the WC bronze – Grundström the winning shooter

Marcus Johansson made it 4–2 in an empty Canadian net.

Both teams fell heavily, in different ways, in Saturday’s semifinals.

Three Crowns clashed against the Czech Republic (3-7) while Canada fell on penalties against Switzerland (2-3) after coming back from a two-goal deficit.

Two teams that had the material to win gold now had to settle for playing for bronze in the O2 Arena in Prague.

Tre Kronor started best

Tre Kronor started best and took the lead in the first period through Carl Grundström, Los Angeles, who scored his second goal of the tournament.

Canada, playing in the late semi-final, started the ruckus – but came back in the second period.

Shooting king Dylan Cozens, Buffalo, equalized in the second period when he dotted the cross behind Filip Gustavsson after the Swedes went away in their own zone.

Then the turnaround was a fact after just over four minutes of the third period.

Pierre-Luc Dubois direct shot 2-1 when Gustavsson did not have time to cross in a long lateral movement.

But Sweden came back and Erik Karlsson equalized to 2–2 with his sixth goal of the tournament.

Grundström match winner

When then Grundström scored his second goal of the afternoon, Sweden had turned the game around.

Sweden will have the chance to take revenge for missing the gold next year when the WC is played on home soil in Stockholm. Tre Kronor’s group and the medal matches are played there. Denmark is co-organizer and takes care of the Danish group.

But next season, a four-nation tournament with NHL players will also be played in North America in February. Sweden participates there together with Finland, Canada and the USA.

So the star cavalcade in the national team continues.

The 2026 Olympics will also be played with NHL players available.