Sweden played Slovakia in the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship opening game. After a first period in which the Slovaks gave the Swedes everything they could handle, the Swedes eventually pulled away for a 5-2 win. A few things stood out in the victory.
Sandin Pellikka Continues WJC Domination
After winning the tournament’s Best Defenseman award last year, Detroit Red Wings’ 2023 first-round pick Axel Sandin Pellikka got off to a hot start in looking to become the second player ever to win the award multiple times. He scored a hat trick in the win and was one of, if not the best, player on the ice. Defensively, Sandin Pellikka played a shutdown game and limited the Slovaks from getting into high-danger areas while he was on the ice. On top of that came his physicality, throwing his body around when needed.
Related: Guide to the 2025 World Junior Championship
With the puck on his stick, Sandin Pellikka showed calmness as he moved through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone. The offense seemed to run directly through him when he was on the ice, and he easily had the puck on his stick more than any player for either team. Getting involved in the scoring with the aforementioned hat trick and setting up the first goal of the game for Sweden, he reminded fans and the hockey world why he is considered one of the NHL’s top defensive prospects. After winning the Swedish Hockey League’s (SHL) Salming Trophy for best Swedish-born defenseman last season, Sandin Pellikka could very well be on his way to adding more hardware to his trophy case at the WJC.
Sloppy Puck Movement Keeps Slovakia Alive Early
Coming into the tournament, there were high hopes and expectations placed on Sweden after earning a silver medal in last year’s tournament. However, puck movement was an issue when they started their game against Slovakia. It started in the defensive zone, where errant passes and miscues gave Slovakia extra offensive zone chances and kept the game close through the first minutes of play, ending in a 1-1 tie. The errant passes were also seen in the offensive zone in the first period, as they struggled to make tape-to-tape passes, particularly on the power play. Goaltender Melker Thelin did his best to keep the Slovaks off the scoresheet for most of the game, making timely saves when called upon with the game close.
Even through the second period, after they got going a bit more offensively, the puck movement was a bit sloppy. Once the rust and “first game jitters” wore off, the puck moved much smoother around the ice. Coming out of the gates crisper in their upcoming preliminary round games will be key to a stronger start.
The Top Line Is as Advertised
Sweden’s top forward line is expected to be relied on heavily in the tournament. The line consists of three 2023 NHL Draft selections: Otto Stenberg (St. Louis Blues), David Edstrom (Nashville Predators), and Felix Unger Sörum (Carolina Hurricanes). The trio played as advertised in the opening game. While they did not score, they created a ton of pressure and havoc in the offensive zone. Whether it was on the forecheck and creating turnovers or getting traffic in front of Slovakia netminder Samuel Urban, they made their presence felt in the offensive zone.
While four of the five goals scored by Sweden came from their defensemen, the top line will also be looked at throughout the tournament to chip in with scoring. They started strong overall in the 5-2 win over Slovakia but will need to get themselves on the board if the Swedes want to end up in a position to medal this year.
What’s Next for Sweden
Sweden plays again tomorrow, when they they on Kazakhstan in their second preliminary-round game. They will look to build on their win over Slovakia while also trying to clean up a few things.
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