Swedish Ice Hockey Team Fails to Qualify to World Championship Playoffs First Time Ever

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2021) The Russian national ice hockey team defeated the Swedish team in a shootout in the group stage match of the IIHF World Championship in Riga and advanced to the playoffs of the tournament ahead of schedule, while the Swedes failed to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 1992, when the current format of the tournament was adopted.

The match of Group A ended with a score of 3-2 (0-1, 0-0, 2-1, 0-0, 1-0). Jesper Froden (9th minute) and Victor Olofsson (56) scored for the Swedes, while Anton Slepyshev (53) and Alexander Barabanov (53) scored for the Russians.

The victory in the shootout was secured by an accurate shot by St. Louis forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who played his first match in the tournament after his arrival from North America.

The Russian national team leads the group with 14 points, securing participation in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Swedish team now has 10 points, losing chances for the playoffs.