Lightning start enough in the end for Czechs to beat Sweden in Group B clash

[p]The two sides came into this with one win and one loss each from their opening Group B clashes - both had earned a big win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denmark/2mX8FleU/"]Denmark[/a], but while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/vBLjQRXp/"]Sweden[/a] were beaten by favourites [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/dSsR389c/"]Canada[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/OdY4GUuO/"]Czech Republic[/a] had fallen to a surprise overtime loss to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovenia/x2ZOU7PT/"]Slovenia[/a].[/p][p]Hurting from that defeat, the Czechs played the first 13 minutes with all the hallmarks of a side with a point to prove, scoring three unanswered goals to stun the Swedes. The first came after three minutes, when [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hronek-filip/xztP4JN0/"]Filip Hronek[/a]'s shot from the blue line was tipped in by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blumel-matej/YcR5nREr/"]Matej Blumel[/a].[/b][/p][p]Tempers were starting to flare just five minutes later as both sides had a player penalised for roughing, but when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stenberg-ivar/UwurqeCM/"]Ivar Stenberg[/a] was also sent to the box three minutes later, the Czechs took the chance to double their lead [b]on the powerplay through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kubalik-dominik/00eoG5vF/"]Dominik Kubalik[/a]'s one-timer from distance.[/b][/p][p]And it was 3-0 just over 30 seconds later, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vozenilek-daniel/dCj4AEIh/"]Daniel Vozenilek[/a] came away with the puck after a real scrap behind the Swedish net, and laid it back for [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flek-jakub/hC7GFfX7/"]Jakub Flek[/a] to score from close range[/b] despite the best efforts of goaltender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hellberg-magnus/6X27NxtJ/"]Magnus Hellberg[/a].[/p][p]After the goal, further fights broke out, and following a lengthy review, the Czechs lost [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scotka-jan/nyMASKX8/"]Jan Scotka[/a], who was ejected for cross-checking.[/p][embed guid="2018222e-2266-4f3a-acf6-a030fa0fbb08" url="https://x.com/czehockey/status/2056477635329298717" social-type="twitter" /][p]That decision completely swung the momentum, and the five-minute powerplay gave Sweden a route back into the match. Midway through the advantage, a neat reverse pass from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heineman-emil/pAdg4YPD/"]Emil Heineman[/a] found [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/persson-joel/2XcDv9nd/"]Joel Persson[/a] in space, and he had time to set himself before firing through the crowd.[/b][/p][p]That got [i]Tre Kronor[/i] on the board, and with time winding down on the powerplay, they made it a one-goal game again, with Heineman and Persson again involved, moving the puck quickly [b]before setting up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holmstrom-simon/t4zlJVg4/"]Simon Holstrom[/a] for a powerful strike.[/b][/p][p]Czech Republic were happy to get back to full strength and they made a bright start to the second period and added their fourth in the fourth minute, as [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cernoch-jiri/WnUXMb8e/"]Jiri Cernoch[/a][/b] attacked through the centre and played a one-two with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beranek-ondrej/UJRGxp24/"]Ondrej Beranek[/a] before taking [b]a shot which had just enough on it to beat Hellberg[/b] - a video review was needed to confirm the puck had crossed the goal line.[/p][embed guid="14a36e76-11d7-4d43-828f-4175704bc1d1" url="https://x.com/Trekronorse/status/2056478840868819370" social-type="twitter" /][p]Yet again, Czech indiscipline was to allow Sweden back into the game - less than a minute after scoring, Hronek was guilty of boarding, and after patient build-up, [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekman-larsson-oliver/vw1y8wmE/"]Oliver Ekman-Larsson[/a][/b] took matters into his own hands, [b]rifling the puck into the roof of the net[/b] to make it 4-3.[/p][p]After the midpoint of the match, Stenburg was guilty of hooking, but the powerplay was cancelled out seconds later following a trip from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cervenka-roman/hCZtQI3B/"]Roman Cervanka[/a]. Neither side profited from the 4-on-4, and Czech Republic held on to take their narrow lead into the final 20 minutes.[/p][p]Sam Hallam's side wasted the chance to level early in the third period after hooking by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tomasek-david/xtkW4fH5/"]David Tomasek[/a], but this time the Czech defence survived the powerplay. That set the tone for a final period in which the Czech back line were on top, as Sweden had 11 shots on goal to their opponents' one, but couldn't find a way through.[/p][p]The Swedes pulled Hellberg in the final minutes in favour of an extra attacker, [b]but the Czechs dug in and took [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/czech-republic-OdY4GUuO/sweden-vBLjQRXp/?mid=Op4wnWwh"]the 4-3 victory[/a][/b]. Radim Rulik's side move onto seven points, behind only Canada, while there's work to do for Sweden, who have three points from their three matches and sit fifth.[/p][p]Sweden are back in action against Slovenia on Wednesday 20th, as Czech Republic take on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/IqPZXVAb/"]Italy[/a] on the same day.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/world/world-championship-2026/"]Follow the 2026 World Ice Hockey Championship on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]