Kazakhstan made their 2025 World Junior Championship debut against Sweden, who were coming off a dominant 5-2 victory over Slovakia on the tournament’s opening day. The Swedes looked like they were right back in the 2024 World Junior Final, playing a smart, patient game that revealed Slovakia’s weaknesses, allowing them to run up the score. On the other hand, Kazakhstan hadn’t been in the top division since 2020, when they finished without a win in the preliminary round and managed a single victory over Germany in the best-of-three relegation series.
Related: 2025 World Junior Championship Guide
It was an unenviable task for the Kazakhs and they needed to bring their A-game to stand a chance against last year’s silver medalists, but needless penalties and a frantic defensive game put them at a disadvantage that they never overcame. Kazakhstan found a little momentum in the second after scoring their first goal, but despite the cheers of the Canadian fans in the stands, it wasn’t enough to scare the Swedes.
Defence and Tip-Ins Lead to Early Sweden Lead
Once again, Sweden relied on their skilled defence to propel their offensive strategy, letting them bring the puck into the attacking zone and dictate the game’s flow. Against Slovakia, it worked wonderfully, and Axel Sandin Pellikka and Rasmus Bergqvist ended up as the game’s heroes, scoring four of the team’s five goals. It was no different against Kazakhstan, where Sweden’s defencemen created plenty of turnovers and maintained constant pressure in the Kazakh zone.
However, the Kazakhs didn’t allow the Swedes to move the puck as freely, pressuring them aggressively right from the puck drop. That forced Sweden to adapt its strategy slightly. Instead of letting the defenders find an opening for a shot, they placed a forward tight to the goalie and looked for the tip-in. Kazakhstan’s defenders weren’t nearly as strong as Sweden’s, nor could they create many turnovers, and before they knew it, the score was 4-0. Of those first four goals, four defencemen were credited with assists: Tom Willander, Axel Hurtig, Wilhelm Hallquisth, and Viggo Gustafsson.
David Edstrom deflects the point shot in the net to make it 2-0 Sweden!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/gFd4T7PX9X
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 27, 2024
Kazakhstan got a few chances throughout the game, using some physicality to maintain possession and knock the Swedes off the puck, but it just wasn’t consistent enough. By the end of the first period, they had just five shots, two of which came on the powerplay. Later in the game, they struggled to stay out of the box, since their primary strategy was to get in front of the Swedes to stop them from moving the puck as freely. Unfortunately, that resulted in three unnecessary penalties, preventing any sustained momentum.
Sweden’s Second Line Shines
While all eyes have been on last year’s top defenceman Sandin Pellikka and Carolina Hurricanes playmaker Felix Unger Sorum, Sweden’s second unit was the biggest difference-makers throughout the game. 18-year-old winger Viktor Eklund scored the first goal of the game and added an assist on the fifth. Eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, he was ranked 11th overall by TSN’s Craig Button at the end of November behind fellow countryman Anton Frondell. However, after a strong showing early, he may begin to rise up the rankings.
But it was Anton Wahlberg, a second-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2023, who stole the show. He was on last year’s team, where he scored a goal and two assists over seven games. Against Kazakhstan this year, he matched his point total in the first period, scoring twice and assisting on the game’s first goal. Then, in the second, he surpassed it with his second goal of the game.
Although these performances came against a weaker opponent, little details stood out for each player that should give Sweden hope that they can make a deep run in the tournament. Eklund was tenacious and unafraid, getting into the corners and behind the net to grind it out against Kazakhstan’s defenders. The fifth goal, scored by Wahlberg, wouldn’t have happened had Eklund not fought for and finally secured possession, allowing Zeb Forsfjall to pass it out onto Wahlberg’s stick. Wahlberg had a big game, but his size and strength were two things that gave him a significant advantage. He was impossible to knock off the puck as he drove to the net. With strong depth, Sweden will be much tougher to throw off their game.
Goaltending Will Be Crucial for Kazakhstan’s Survival
Kazakhstan was always going to be a massive underdog against a powerhouse like Sweden; after getting five shots on net in the first period, they only managed six more before the end of the game. That put a lot of pressure on their goalie, Vladimir Nikitin, to keep the game close. He was a crucial part of Kazakhstan’s Division 1A win last year that earned them a promotion, posting a .944 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.48 goals-against average (GAA), and he was strong in the World Junior pre-tournament games.
Although he finished his first game with an 8.00 GAA, Nikitin had a respectable .846 SV% while facing 52 shots. He also had some big saves to keep the score as low as it was. His big poke check in the dying seconds of the third period was a highlight-reel-worthy play, and his size and positioning were crucial in giving Kazakhstan some hope. Kazakhstan won’t win many games, but if they want to stay out of relegation, they have a goalie who can keep them in it. Now, all Kazakhstan needs is some offensive pressure.
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