STOCKHOLM – The Swedish national team announced today that centre Joel Lundqvist will return home and undergo surgery in Gothenburg after receiving a facial fracture in Monday’s 6-4 win over Denmark.

The 30-year-old Frölunda veteran got the tournament-ending injury in a collision with Danish forward Jesper B. Jensen. It has been a difficult season for injuries for Lundqvist, who also had his jaw fractured when MODO Örnsköldsvik’s Nicklas Danielsson elbowed him in the face in a Swedish Elitserien game in November.

Lundqvist had a goal, an assist, and a +1 plus-minus rating through three games in Stockholm. This was his third IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. The identical twin brother of New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, he won gold in Latvia 2006 and bronze in Switzerland 2009.