Sweden’s circumstances for entering the final round-robin matchup at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off were unfortunate. Despite not losing a game in regulation, the Swedes were eliminated from the Final following Canada’s regulation win over Finland earlier in the day. When the team hit the ice for their final skate at the tournament at T.D. Garden, Sweden showed the same toughness and resolve we’ve seen all tournament. A young Swede recovered from a shaky early start in the net while the rest of the team banded together to hold off a shorthanded, but still offensively charged American squad playing at home for the first time in almost a decade.
Ersson’s Early Look Ahead of the 2026 Olympics
In the early afternoon, news surfaced about a change in Sweden’s goalie lineup. Sam Ersson, who had stepped in for Jacob Markstrom a week before the tournament, started over Filip Gustavsson, who had begun the opening night for Sweden. Although Ersson had not participated in the tournament yet, the 25-year-old goalie prepared to take on one of the most potent offenses at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The Philadelphia Flyers goalie allowed a rebound goal to Chris Kreider in the game’s opening minute but slammed the door shut for the remaining 59 minutes of the contest. Ersson stopped 32 of 33 shots during his lone appearance in the tournament. He was aided by the bright red iron that he defended as the United States hit five posts in the game, including one in the early stages of the third:
Post #5 of the night for Team USA ????????#4Nations pic.twitter.com/SFnMBp7paZ
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) February 18, 2025
Ersson will be a name to watch for Sweden as the hockey world prepares for the 2026 Olympics in Northern Italy. This season in the NHL, he is 16-10-3 with a 2.81 goals-against average (GAA) and a .896 save percentage (SV%) in 31 games. In his career, he is 45-32-10 with similar statistics in GAA (2.85) and SV% (.893) over 94 contests.
No Regulation Losses at 4 Nations Face-Off for Sweden
Every nation participating in the 4 Nations Face-Off will exit the tournament with a win. Sweden is the only country to leave unscathed in regulation, with their losses to Canada and Finland occurring after regulation expired. While this amounts to little as the Swedes watch the Final between Canada and the USA on Thursday night, the athletes wearing the Yellow and Blue jerseys can be proud of fighting until the bitter end in every matchup over the last two weeks.
Related: Guide to the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off
“It’s obviously an honor,” Jesper Bratt told NHL.com. “Putting on this jersey is really special to me, and I know it is for everyone in here. We showed up and wanted to end this tournament in the best way possible for us. We knew this game didn’t mean a lot in this tournament, but for the guys in the room, and our country, it meant a lot to get that win.” On Monday night, Bratt scored the game-winning goal against the United States for Sweden’s first victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Sweden’s Team Effort Scored a Win Against Team USA
Once Sweden took the lead at the end of the first period, they suffocated the United States by limiting time, space, and goal-scoring opportunities. Sweden was credited with 15 blocked shots in the game as the team stood tall to help defend in front of Ersson. They also created 25 giveaways from the United States due to relentless pressure … and some help from the injury bug chomping away at the USA lineup. For their part, Sweden protected the puck well, with only 12 giveaways to the Americans in the contest.
Illness Heavily Impacted Final Round Robin Game
The United States entered the game with a shorthanded lineup due to injuries and illness. Forward Auston Matthews was a late scratch due to illness. Even the referee crew was not immune. Official Wes McCauley left the game after the first period and was replaced by Pierre Lambert.
Even the officials are hurting: Referee Wes McCauley will not return to the USA-Sweden game. Referee Pierre Lambert will finish the game in his place. #4Nations
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) February 18, 2025
On Monday, Sweden’s Mika Zibanejad was kept out of the lineup due to illness, while USA superstar Auston Matthews suffered the same fate. Canada’s star defenseman, Cale Makar, sat out of a weekend contest against Team USA due to being sick and was replaced by Thomas Harley.
