Final preparations for the World Juniors

Sweden - Germany 11-1

Sweden delivered a commanding performance against Germany, claiming an emphatic 11-1 victory. Dominating in all aspects, Sweden outshot Germany 43-17 and scored in every period, showcasing their offensive depth and precision.

Sweden wasted no time getting on the board, with Rasmus Bergqvist scoring just 12 seconds into the game off a setup from David Edstrom. Victor Eklund doubled the lead at 5:49, giving Sweden a comfortable 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission. Despite Germany's seven shots on goal, Swedish goaltender Marcus Gidlöf stood tall.

The second period saw Sweden's offense explode for four more goals. Herman Träff scored a power-play goal early, followed by Victor Eklund's second of the game just 31 seconds later. Tom Willander added another power-play tally, and David Edstrom rounded out the period with a goal to make it 6-0. Germany's Carlos Händel managed to respond with a lone goal at 31:04, giving the visitors a brief moment of relief.

The Swedish dominance continued in the final frame, with five more goals pouring in. Wilhelm Hallquisth, Felix Unger Sörum, David Edstrom, Otto Stenberg, and Felix Nilsson all found the back of the net. Nilsson capped off the scoring with a power-play goal at 58:03, bringing his total contributions to a goal and three assists for the game.

Germany's goalies had a tough night, with Nico Pertuch allowing five goals on 28 shots in the first half of the game and Linus Vieillard conceding six on 25 shots in relief.

Swedish defenseman Jack Berglund was injured and will miss the World Juniors.

Finland - USA 2-5

The USA secured a decisive 5-2 victory over Finland, dominating through effective offensive plays and disciplined special teams. Outshooting Finland 30-18, the Americans built an early lead and held firm against a late Finnish push.

The USA opened the scoring at 14:54, with Ryan Leonard finishing a smooth setup by Gabriel Perreault and James Hagens. Despite Finland’s attempts to counter, they only managed four shots in the period, all stopped by USA goaltender Trey Augustine.

The USA widened their lead early in the second, with Joseph Willis scoring at 25:25. Finland responded shortly after with a power-play goal from Kasper Halttunen, reducing the deficit to 2-1. However, the Americans quickly regained control, as Zeev Buium and Austin Burnevik added goals, with the latter scoring on a power play. Carey Terrance capped the period at 38:37, pushing the USA to a commanding 5-1 lead.

Finland showed resilience in the final period, with Kasper Halttunen scoring his second goal of the game at 52:26. Despite their efforts, USA goaltender Hampton Slukynsky, who entered in relief, held strong to secure the win.

Latvia - Switzerland 1-5

Switzerland cruised to a dominant 5-1 victory over Latvia. Outshooting Latvia 43-27, the Swiss controlled the game from the second period onward.

Both teams displayed strong defensive play in the first period, with neither side able to break through. Latvia and Switzerland traded opportunities, but the goaltenders held firm, keeping the game scoreless despite a combined 24 shots.

Switzerland broke the deadlock early in the second, as Ludvig Johnson scored at 20:17. They extended their lead quickly with goals from Jan Dorthe (22:00) and Basile Sansonnens (30:02). Latvia’s Linards Feldbergs faced relentless pressure, stopping 10 additional shots to prevent the Swiss from widening the gap further in the frame.

Lars Steiner added to Switzerland’s lead at 42:17, making it 4-0. Latvia responded with their lone goal at 53:25 when Olivers Murnieks converted on a setup from Bruno Osmanis and Harijs Cjunskis. However, Switzerland sealed the win with Jamiro Reber’s goal at 59:20, assisted by Jan Dorthe.

Canada - Czechia 3-2

Canada edged out Czechia in a thrilling 3-2 victory, highlighted by a strong performance from Gavin McKenna, who scored twice, including the game-winning goal late in the third period. Despite being outshot 39-23, Czechia kept the game close.

The scoring opened early, with Canada’s Bradly Nadeau netting a goal at 3:54 off a slick pass from Calum Ritchie, with Matthew Schaefer also assisting. Czechia responded at 15:02, as Dominik Petr tied it with a quick shot, assisted by Tomas Galvas and Ondrej Kos.

Canada regained the lead at 30:48, thanks to Gavin McKenna's sharp finish, assisted by Luca Pinelli and Matthew Schaefer. However, Czechia answered back at 34:24 when Jiří Felcman converted a pass from Vojtech Port, leveling the game once again.

With the game on the line, Canada applied relentless pressure, outshooting Czechia 19-9 in the final frame. McKenna scored the decisive goal at 57:31 on a setup by Ethan Gauthier, clinching the victory for Canada.

Canada's offensive dominance, especially in the third period, proved too much for Czechia despite their efficient scoring and stellar goaltending. The win keeps Canada competitive in the tournament, with Gavin McKenna emerging as the star of the night.

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