It wasn’t pretty for Team Sweden. Despite holding a commanding edge in possession, scoring chances leaned toward Hungary many times in the game. In the end, Sweden escaped with a 2-0 win over Hungary in a game that could have cost them their positioning in Group B. Sweden improved to 2-0 after beating Germany 5-2 in a stronger performance on the opening day of the tournament.
After a scoreless first period, Linnea Johansson finally broke the ice for Sweden getting to the front of the net where she took a feed from behind the goal line from Hilda Svensson and beat Hungary’s Aniko Nemeth.
The game stayed 1-0 until late in the third period when Lina Ljungblom tipped home a Mira Jungaker shot to give Sweden the 2-0 cushion.
Sweden Struggled Structurally
There were times when Sweden couldn’t get out of their own way. Despite a shutout, Emma Soderberg looked shaky in net allowing chances where there should have been none, missing her angles, and reacting slow to multiple shots that cleanly beat her, but didn’t evade the posts. The number of times Soderberg would push laterally and move herself out of the play resulting in her facing her own net to get back into the goal should have cost Sweden the game.
Hungary was structured keeping Sweden’s shooters to the outside. When they did penetrate the middle of the ice, good things following including both Swedish goals.
The other aspect of their system that Sweden desperately need to tighten up before the quarterfinals is their penalty kill. Sweden was dogged in their puck pursuit creating turnover after turnover, but with the player advantage, sometimes this overly aggressive approach opened passing and shooting lanes for Hungary. Hungary earned a large number of their shots with the player advantage, and facing a better team, Sweden would have paid.
What’s next for both teams?
Sweden is now 2-0 and will face Japan in what will likely be a fight for top spot in Group B. It will be the final stop in Group B for both teams as the IIHF is ditching their antiquated grouping system for women’s hockey beginning in 2026. Sweden has two days off before facing Japan, followed by Norway to close out Group play. Hungary has a more difficult road ahead. They’ll face Japan next, followed by Norway, before closing out their Group play in what is certain to be an emotional rematch of the final game of Olympic Games qualifying against Germany.
