Sweden Takes Shootout Win Over Swiss

Victor Rask scored the lone goal in the shootout as Sweden defeated Switzerland 3-2 in the third game of the day on December 28 in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Eliot Antonietti, who plays in the Swiss-A league, scored his first goal of the tournament to give Switzerland a 1-0 lead just over fourteen minutes into the opening period.

That lead would last for over 16 minutes until Tanner Richard took a high-sticking penalty halfway through the second period. Montreal Canadiens draft pick Sebastian Collberg took advantage of the power play, tallying his second goal of the tournament to tie the game at one.

The roles were reversed shortly after that, with Tom Nilsson taking a penalty for Sweden and Mike Kunzle scored his third of the tournament to regain the Swiss lead.

There were no penalties in the third period, with the lone goal of the third frame being scored for Sweden by Emil Djuse. Overtime proved fruitless and the game was taken to a shootout.

Vikstrand and Collberg failed to score for Sweden, but Victor Rask capitalized on his shootout attempt; all three Switzerland shooters (Bertschy, Andrighetto, Martschini) were stopped, and Sweden took the 3-2 victory. Rask is a Carolina Hurricanes draft pick, selected 42nd overall in 2011, and currently plays for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen.

Joel Lassinantti stopped 29 of 31 shots faced for Sweden, while Swiss netminder Melvin Nyffeler had 36 saves in the loss. Captain Filip Forsberg had 10 of Sweden’s 39 shots in the game; Filip Sandberg and Mlevin Nyffeler were named players of the game for Sweden and Switzerland, respectively.

The game was the first of this year’s 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships to go into a shootout.

Sweden plays its next game on December 29 against Latvia, while Switzerland is off until December 30 when they’ll take on Finland.