U20 action in Zug

Finland - Sweden 0-5

The U20 national teams of Finland and Sweden kicked off their tournament in Zug with a one-sided match that saw Sweden dominate their Nordic rivals, securing a commanding 5-0 victory.

Sweden wasted no time establishing their dominance. At 07:40, Hugo Orrsten opened the scoring with an assist from Noel Fransén and Kalle Carlsson. Just a few minutes later, Herman Träff doubled Sweden's lead at 10:56, following a setup by Felix Öhrqvist and Gabriel Eliasson. The first period continued to be a nightmare for Finland as Orrsten struck again at 13:10, this time shorthanded, to make it 3-0.

Sweden continued their relentless pressure in the second period. At 20:59, Hugo Pettersson added to Finland's misery by scoring Sweden's fourth goal, with assists from Oskar Vuollet and Gustaf Kangas. Finland struggled to mount any significant offense, and the period ended with Sweden firmly in control.

The final period saw Sweden putting the finishing touches on their dominant performance. In the closing seconds of the game, at 59:44, Kalle Carlsson scored a power-play goal, assisted by Anton Frondell and Eric Bürger, to bring the final score to 5-0.

Sweden's solid team play and sharp finishing overwhelmed Finland from the start, setting the tone for the tournament. Finnish goaltender Noa Vali faced a tough outing, allowing five goals as his team faltered defensively. In contrast, Sweden’s netminder Teodor Munther had a stellar performance, posting a shutout to lead his team to victory in this opening game.

Switzerland - Czechia 1-3

The U20 National teams of Switzerland and Czechia faced off in a gripping tournament game at the Bossard Arena in Zug. Despite a strong start from the Swiss side, Czechia turned the tables and secured a 3-1 victory.

The game started with Switzerland on the front foot, supported by a passionate home crowd. Switzerland broke the deadlock at 19:42 when Daniil Ustinkov found the back of the net, assisted by Gioele Pedrazzini and Aris Häfliger. The goal, which came just before the end of the first period, put Switzerland ahead and energized the team and fans alike.

Czechia responded swiftly in the second period. At 24:34, Tomas Galvas equalized for the Czech side, capitalizing on a well-placed pass from Adam Jecho. Just minutes later, Czechia took the lead with a goal from Matej Mastalirsky, assisted by Eduard Salé and Jiří Felcman, after a brilliant play that left the Swiss defense scrambling.

The final period saw Czechia extending their lead and putting the game out of reach for the Swiss team. At 48:36, Adam Fiala scored Czechia’s third goal, assisted by Adam Židlický, cementing their dominance on the ice.

Despite several attempts, Switzerland was unable to break through Czechia's defense again, with Czech goalkeeper Jan Kavan standing firm to secure the win.

Czechia's well-organized play and swift counterattacks proved too much for Switzerland, who will look to regroup in their next game, against Sweden tomorrow.

Slovakia will enter the tournament tomorrow for a game against Czechia.

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