Sweden beats Slovakia 5-3, USA beats Denmark 6-3.
Team Sweden paid for their early preliminary round slip-ups, in spite of beating Slovakia 5-3 in their preliminary round finale on Saturday. Dalibor Dvorsky’s late goal in regulation allowed goal differential to become a determining factor in the standings of Group B, as the Slovaks and Swedes ended up tied at +2. Finland blew out Italy 11-0 in their finale, giving Slovakia the top spot in the group, Finland second, and the favored Swedes third spot.
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin assisted on Adrian Kempe’s second-period goal, and once again led Tre Kronor in ice time with 24:27. In Team USA’s 6-3 win over Denmark, Tage Thompson was used a team-low 9:12 and only 11 shifts. In the Finns' win over the Italians, former Sabre Rasmus Ristolainen had a pair of assists and was +5 in 18:22, Joel Armia had a goal and an assist in 11:41, and Henri Jokiharju had an assist in 8:54.
Other Sabres Stories
Here is an update on Sabres prospects selected at the 2023 Draft in Nashville:
Scott Ratzlaff – G – 141st overall
Last season, Ratzlaff finished 23-19-4, with a 3.16 GAA and .910 save % with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. After the Sabres signed veteran Alexandar Georgiev and he accepted an AHL assignment, the club demoted the 20-year-old to the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL, where he went 5-6-0, with a 2.99 GAA and .916 save %. After Georgiev left for the KHL, the Amerks recalled the 20-year-old, where he has split backup duty with Topias Leinonen. In five games, he is 3-1-0, with a 2.54 GAA, and .902 save %.
Sean Keohane – D – 173rd overall
A physical specimen at 6’4”, 205 lb., Keohane came out of Dexter Southfield Prep in Massachusetts and was slated to play a full season in the USHL with Tri-City before heading to Harvard, but after 16 games, the 20-year-old shifted to West Kelowna in the BCHL to get more playing time. Last season, he played 11 games for the Crimson and finished with two assists, this season he has three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 25 games.
Norwin Panocha – D – 205th overall
Drafted out of Berlin in the DEL, the 6’2”, 190 lb. defenseman opted to come to North America and play for Chicoutimi in the QMJHL. In 52 QMJHL games, Panocha had 15 assists. The 20-year-old also played for Germany at the WJC as an 18 and 19-year-old.. After being dropped by the Sagueneens, he was selected by Prince Albert in the CHL Import Draft but played only 3 games for the Raiders before he was dropped again.
After a brief stop playing in the USHL, Panocha returned home to play for Berlin, where he finished with two assists in 16 games for the Polar Bears, who won the DEL title.. This season, he has three assists in 36 games with Berlin and has also spent time in the second-division pro league in Germany. .
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
THN.com/Free