Elias Pettersson and Tom Willander also played key roles for Sweden in the victory.
Team Sweden kicked off their 2024 World Juniors with a bang, defeating Latvia 6-0 on Tuesday. All three Vancouver Canucks prospects played key roles for Sweden as they sent the fans in Gothenburg home happy. Here is a recap of the impact each had on the game.
Starting with Jonathan Lekkerimäki, he delivered for Sweden, scoring twice and recording five shots in 14:20 of ice time. Both goals were from distance, as he showcased his fantastic wrist shot and ability to get pucks through screens and on the net. He also demonstrated how dangerous he can be from the point as he ripped three straight shots wide of the net in quick succession while on the power play. Doubling his goal total from the last two World Juniors combined, he was one of Sweden's most dangerous forwards all game.
As for Elias Pettersson, he finished the game with a team-high 21:07 of ice time. While he didn't record any points, the Canucks 2022 third-round pick stood out for his overall defensive play. He also threw massive hits during the game, which shows he is willing to use his big frame to separate the opposition from the puck. If he can bring that level of physicality to every game this tournament, teams will have an extremely difficult time generating cycles and creating chances when he is on the ice.
Lastly, Tom Willander was impressive at both ends of the ice. In his 19:27 of ice time, he was able to showcase his ability not just to defend but transition the puck through the neutral zone. Whether via passes or carrying the puck himself, he looked calm out on the ice and made no major mistakes throughout the game. Ultimately, he took advantage of the extra minutes he was given due to Elias Salomonsson being ejected from the game, and showed Sweden's coaching staff that he is ready for whatever challenges they may throw his way.
Up next for Sweden will be a matchup versus Germany on Dec 28. At last year's tournament, these two nations also met in the preliminary round, with Sweden walking away with a 1-0 victory. Game time is set for 10:30 AM PT and can be watched on TSN.
