In an elimination game with a berth to the quarterfinals on the line, Adrian Kempe helped lead Sweden past Latvia, scoring a goal and building his case as one of the tournament’s most reliable two-way wingers.
On Day 6 of Olympic men's hockey action, Milan, Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe was once again steady, scoring a goal in his effective role to lead Sweden past Latvia 5-1, clinching a spot in the quarterfinal round.
The headline in today's outing for Sweden was their offensive outburst, as they scored five goals with help from their depth. Sweden has now scored five or more goals in three of their four tournament games, slowly showing the world how dangerous their offense is when their depth is firing on all cylinders.
Statement Win
Sweden controlled the game early, jumping out to a quick 3-0 start, scoring two goals in the first period and one goal in the second. Goals from Adrian Kempe, Filip Forsberg, and Gabriel Landeskog helped lead Sweden to the fast start they were looking for.
Joel Erikksson Ek, William Nylander, and Lucas Raymond were also great today, contributing with their playmaking and offensive output, combining to score five points and five assists in the win.
Kempe finished the contest with a +2 rating on ice, while scoring one goal and one point. He wasn't asked to be the primary offensive driver in this one because of Sweden's depth, which answered today with five different forwards scoring, but his consistent speed and drive on offense continue to be a big part of Sweden's dominance as of late.
Mika Zibanejad and Nylander each scored one goal in the third period to extend Sweden's lead to 5-1 to seal the deal in the game, who both combined for four points, two points, and two assists.
Chemistry and Role Clarity
One of the biggest takeaways from this Sweden team is Kempe's fit on the line and his adaptability. Sweden was one of the favorites, along with Finland and Slovakia, to win Group B because of the NHL elite talent on their roster and the well-defined roles of every player.
In a tournament setting where you're put in with players that you've never played with or practiced with, that buy-in is crucial. There's little time to build chemistry, and players who take sacrifices and know their roles usually lead to winning, and that's what we're seeing from Sweden right now.
Looking Ahead: Quarterfinal Test vs. USA
Sweden now advances to face the United States in the quarterfinal round, a matchup that will feature elite NHL firepower on both sides. The margin of error is small as the tournament progresses, and defenses will become even more critical if Sweden wants to pull off this upset.
Facing off against the only other undefeated team, Sweden has a very tall task against the USA, who have weaknesses Sweden can exploit, but it all comes down to how well Sweden can match up with them.
We have three exciting matchups tomorrow in the quarterfinals that involve our Kings representing the tournament. The early matchups will include Canada vs. Czechia at 10:30 AM EST, Finland vs. Switzerland at 12:00 PM EST, and the final game of the afternoon will be USA vs. Sweden at 3:00 PM EST.
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