It's been coming for years as Sweden has invested in women's and girls hockey. It all paid off Friday as Sweden upset Czechia in the quarterfinals earning the right to play for a women's hockey medal at the 2026 Olympic Games.
Sweden has arrived. For the first time in more than a decade, Sweden will play for a medal at the Olympic women's hockey tournament. Sweden earned that opportunity shutting out Czechia 2-0 in the quarterfinals in Milano Cortina.
Ebba Svensson Traff was spectacular in net for the Team Sweden shutting the door. The 21-year-old made 29 saves posting a 2-0 shutout.
After a scoreless first period that didn't feature many opportunities for either team, Sweden went to the power play in the second frame. After Sweden set up on the right side of their offensive zone, the puck came to a Hannah Olsson on the left. With Klara Peslarova froze on her knees expecting a shot from the right, Olsson had a wide open net to shoot at and made no mistake. Maja Nylen Persson and Hilda Svensson picked up assists on then plan.
With time running out and Czechia's net empty Anna Kjellbin cleared a puck to the neutral zone that Hilda Svensson chased down and scored the insurance marker with 25 seconds remaining.
Sweden's team defensive play not only from top defenders like Mira Jungaker, Maja Nylen Persson, and Anna Kjellbin, but primarily from their forward group led by Sara Hjalmarsson, Lisa Johansson, Hanna Olsson, Mira Hallin, and Hanna Thuvik.
Sweden will now await either Canada or the United States for their semi-final and will get the chance to play for a medal.
Sweden last played for a medal in women's hockey at the Olympics in 2024 losing to Switzerland in the bronze medal game. They lost to Finland in overtime in the 2010 bronze medal game. They won silver in 2006 and bronze in 2002.