Canada do enough to beat Sweden in World Hockey Championship opener

[p]The result is a repeat of the Group Stage meeting at last year's World Championship, though it was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/vBLjQRXp/"]Sweden[/a] who went deeper into the tourament, finishing third, as the Canadians fell at the Quarter-final stage.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/dSsR389c/"]Canada[/a] were in front with under two-and-a-half minutes played after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-robert/8bU4IVJ2/"]Robert Thomas[/a] carried the puck out of his own zone and into Swedish territory, where he squared it to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nurse-darnell/tOMGwoaM/"]Darnell Nurse[/a], who quickly helped it across [b]to give [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tavares-john/tCKT8ZmH/"]John Tavares[/a] a simple one-time finish[/b] on the left.[/p][p]Less than a minute later, Sweden were given the chance to make a quick response after a tripping call against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mateychuk-denton/U3lzILpf/"]Denton Mateychuk[/a], but they couldn't profit from the powerplay. With eight minutes left in the opening period, Tre Kronor had the puck in the Canadian net, only to have the goal disallowed.[/p][p]A shot from the blue line from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hagg-robert/vmtxmJD2/"]Robert Hagg[/a] was deflected in by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stenberg-ivar/UwurqeCM/"]Ivar Stenberg[/a], but following a lengthy video review, the officials ruled the goal out as Stenberg's stick was high. A luckless few seconds then continued for Stenberg, as another video review found him guilty of cross-checking.[/p][p]The Swedes survived that powerplay, but getting back to full strength was no help, as they went 2-0 down with 16 minutes on the clock. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rielly-morgan/f3p858a2/"]Morgan Rielly[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vilardi-gabriel/2Tg9Qjk4/"]Gabriel Vilardi[/a] both had chances in quick succession before [b]the puck was finally bundled in by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/o-reilly-ryan/6shB1xO0/"]Ryan O'Reilly[/a].[/b][/p][embed guid="c607a61b-fbab-42c9-9308-e37e4c144071" url="https://x.com/Trekronorse/status/2055331427894329635" social-type="twitter" /][p]Neither side could profit from a powerplay each either side of the first break, before Sweden got back into the match nine minutes into the second period. After a sustained attack, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berglund-jack/xCbot6Rh/"]Jack Berglund[/a] unleashed [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/larsson-jacob/Cb3e8eld/"]Jacob Larsson[/a] on the left and he set himself before finishing well.[/b][/p][p]Less than three minutes later, the scores were level again, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/whitecloud-zach/Kd6sgd89/"]Zach Whitecloud[/a] was called for tripping, and this time Sweden did capitalise with the extra man within seconds, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekman-larsson-oliver/vw1y8wmE/"]Oliver Ekman-Larsson[/a] squared to [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raymond-lucas/rHtqARGj/"]Lucas Raymond[/a], who pulled out a near-identical finish[/b] to that of Larsson.[/p][p]Parity only lasted for three minutes, as space opened up in the Swedish zone for [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holloway-dylan/K8MiKQcH/"]Dylan Holloway[/a] to cut in from the right and pick his spot[/b], but the Europeans hit back again soon after, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/karlsson-linus/4OQu43rO/"]Linus Karlsson[/a] set the puck back [b]for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekholm-mattias/nTVEOZT1/"]Mattias Ekholm[/a] to strike from the corner[/b], as it found its way through the crowd for 3-3.[/p][embed guid="c02ce82a-93b4-4d8f-bf10-9cbe897f1085" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erIRdCZcfFw" social-type="youtube" /][p]But that was as good as it got for Sam Hallam's side, who went behind again four minutes into the third, when an inch-perfect [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martone-porter/jmrvz23T/"]Porter Martone[/a] pass across the Swedish goal found [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-connor/AB8ewHjn/"]Connor Brown[/a], who tucked it past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hellberg-magnus/6X27NxtJ/"]Magnus Hellberg[/a].[/b][/p][p]And Martone was at it again with seven minutes to play, sending [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cozens-dylan/AatmMQGC/"]Dylan Cozens[/a] away to squeeze home a fifth for Canada[/b] despite pressure from the defence. That goal all but killed off Sweden's comeback chances, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/canada-dSsR389c/sweden-vBLjQRXp/?mid=0jVyUcI6"]as Canada took a 5-3 win[/a].[/p][p]The Canadians will look to maintain their strong start when they face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/IqPZXVAb/"]Italy[/a] on 16th May, while Sweden are back in action on the 17th against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denmark/2mX8FleU/"]Denmark[/a].[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/world/world-championship-2026/"]Follow every match at the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]