Sweden's Ivar Stenberg (#41) slots home his second goal of the game against Italy in Fribourg.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MATT ZAMBONIN
This year’s Swedish team may not be an obvious championship contender, but there’s every evidence that the future is very bright for the Tre Kronor.
Not for the first time in this tournament, the partnership between 18-year-olds Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Bjorck bore fruit: the pair combined for two of the first three goals against Italy, sinking the Azzurri long before the end of Friday night’s 3-0 victory.
Between them, the teen sensations have 10 (3+7) points at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Having written their names in many a scouting notebook at the World Juniors, they are underlining their status as potential top picks.
Their linemate in Switzerland, Lucas Raymond, is certainly a fan. It’s really fun playing alongside Ivar and Viggo,” he said. “They like to play with the puck, to play with speed. I really enjoy playing with them and getting to know them as well. They’re great guys. I think there’s a really bright future ahead for both of them.”
Both teams freshened up their goalies. Magnus Hellberg replaced Arvid Soderblom for Sweden and made 12 saves for his shut-out. The Italians had Damien Clara back in goal, rested after his heroic resistance in the 1-3 loss to Czechia where he stopped 55 of 57 shots.
But even with stand-out goaltending you have to go back to 1996 to find the last time Sweden failed to beat Italy. Since that 3-3 tie, the Swedes have won seven straight in World Championship play with an aggregate score of 42-6.
That kind of dominance was evident in the first period here. Clara was beaten four times, although only two of those efforts counted.
Oliver Ekman-Larson was denied early on. He came down the middle and his shot squirmed through Clara to spark a huge scramble on the slot. The defender stuffed it home, but only after Matt Bradley’s desperate efforts to clear dislodged the net.
It wasn’t long before the Swedes got in front on Carl Grunstrom’s first of the tournament. Jack Berglund - who also featured on the golden World Junior roster this season, saw his initial rush end in a broken play, but Italy could not clear and Grundstrom was able to turn and shoot home in front of the net.
The Italians generated some chances in response. Daniel Mantenuto tested Magnus Hellberg, then Tommaso de Luca tipped one narrowly wide. At the other end, Jacob Larsson produced a deft one-touch finish, but used his skate in a manner more befitting the UEFA Champions League: another goal called back.
But Italy fell further behind late in the frame when Sweden converted the first power play of the night. Bjorck won the face-off, Lucas Raymond’s shot bounced around the slot, then Bjorck found a fine no-look pass for his teenage colleague Stenberg to rifle his first of the tourney into an open net.
That duo combined once more in the second. Once again Raymond, the elder statesman of the line at the ripe old age of 24, got things rolling. Bjorck took over as the puck entered Italian territory and picked out an inch-perfect pass for Stenberg to score again. Raymond moved to the top of the tournament scoring chart with his second assist, taking him to nine points.
With Italy limited to just two goals in its first four games, and Sweden enjoying a shut-out win over Slovenia last time out, it was no surprise that a 3-0 lead felt decisive.
“It was a decent game for us,” reflected Swedish defender Joel Persson. “It wasn’t our top performance, but it was OK. We got a 3-0 win.
Tre Kronor continued to dominate in the third, but the intensity dropped a little in the closing stages as the teams perhaps began looking to bigger upcoming tests. Italy had a couple of late chances - notably for Tommy Purdeller on a two-on-one rush - but could not find even a consolation tally.
“We talk about [scoring goals] every day,” admitted Italy’s Luca Frigo. “But we’re facing the best players in the world. We’re not used to playing against these kind of players, these kind of teams.”
“We did a good job defensively, just like the last game against Slovenia.”
Sweden is back in action tomorrow, taking on neighbour Norway in a game that pits fourth against fifth in Group B. Italy rests until Sunday morning’s meeting with a Denmark team also seeking its first win here in Fribourg.
Not for the first time in this tournament, the partnership between 18-year-olds Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Bjorck bore fruit: the pair combined for two of the first three goals against Italy, sinking the Azzurri long before the end of Friday night’s 3-0 victory.
Between them, the teen sensations have 10 (3+7) points at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Having written their names in many a scouting notebook at the World Juniors, they are underlining their status as potential top picks.
Their linemate in Switzerland, Lucas Raymond, is certainly a fan. It’s really fun playing alongside Ivar and Viggo,” he said. “They like to play with the puck, to play with speed. I really enjoy playing with them and getting to know them as well. They’re great guys. I think there’s a really bright future ahead for both of them.”
Both teams freshened up their goalies. Magnus Hellberg replaced Arvid Soderblom for Sweden and made 12 saves for his shut-out. The Italians had Damien Clara back in goal, rested after his heroic resistance in the 1-3 loss to Czechia where he stopped 55 of 57 shots.
But even with stand-out goaltending you have to go back to 1996 to find the last time Sweden failed to beat Italy. Since that 3-3 tie, the Swedes have won seven straight in World Championship play with an aggregate score of 42-6.
That kind of dominance was evident in the first period here. Clara was beaten four times, although only two of those efforts counted.
Oliver Ekman-Larson was denied early on. He came down the middle and his shot squirmed through Clara to spark a huge scramble on the slot. The defender stuffed it home, but only after Matt Bradley’s desperate efforts to clear dislodged the net.
It wasn’t long before the Swedes got in front on Carl Grunstrom’s first of the tournament. Jack Berglund - who also featured on the golden World Junior roster this season, saw his initial rush end in a broken play, but Italy could not clear and Grundstrom was able to turn and shoot home in front of the net.
The Italians generated some chances in response. Daniel Mantenuto tested Magnus Hellberg, then Tommaso de Luca tipped one narrowly wide. At the other end, Jacob Larsson produced a deft one-touch finish, but used his skate in a manner more befitting the UEFA Champions League: another goal called back.
But Italy fell further behind late in the frame when Sweden converted the first power play of the night. Bjorck won the face-off, Lucas Raymond’s shot bounced around the slot, then Bjorck found a fine no-look pass for his teenage colleague Stenberg to rifle his first of the tourney into an open net.
That duo combined once more in the second. Once again Raymond, the elder statesman of the line at the ripe old age of 24, got things rolling. Bjorck took over as the puck entered Italian territory and picked out an inch-perfect pass for Stenberg to score again. Raymond moved to the top of the tournament scoring chart with his second assist, taking him to nine points.
With Italy limited to just two goals in its first four games, and Sweden enjoying a shut-out win over Slovenia last time out, it was no surprise that a 3-0 lead felt decisive.
“It was a decent game for us,” reflected Swedish defender Joel Persson. “It wasn’t our top performance, but it was OK. We got a 3-0 win.
Tre Kronor continued to dominate in the third, but the intensity dropped a little in the closing stages as the teams perhaps began looking to bigger upcoming tests. Italy had a couple of late chances - notably for Tommy Purdeller on a two-on-one rush - but could not find even a consolation tally.
“We talk about [scoring goals] every day,” admitted Italy’s Luca Frigo. “But we’re facing the best players in the world. We’re not used to playing against these kind of players, these kind of teams.”
“We did a good job defensively, just like the last game against Slovenia.”
Sweden is back in action tomorrow, taking on neighbour Norway in a game that pits fourth against fifth in Group B. Italy rests until Sunday morning’s meeting with a Denmark team also seeking its first win here in Fribourg.