LILLEHAMMER – Sweden took care of business in its final preliminary round game, shutting out Norway 5-0 and setting up a semi-final with Slovakia at the 2016 Youth Olympic women’s ice hockey tournament. 
Team defence was in fine form for the Damkronorna. Goaltender Therese Jarnkrok only had to make 11 saves in the game for the shutout as Sweden finished the Youth Olympics preliminary round with a 3-1-1 record.

“It was a good defensive effort today,” said captain Maja Nyhlen Persson. “We need to play well without the puck to be successful in the playoffs and I think we did that today.”

The Swedes were in control from the outset, scoring an early goal and then keeping the Norwegians bottled up in their own end by dominating puck posession.

Agnes Wilhelmsson set up Josefin Bouveng for the first goal of the game just over a minute into the first period. Then at 12:46 Wilma Carlsson took the puck into the Norwegian zone and fired a shot straight into the top right corner from the high slot area for the 2-0 lead.

Norway’s defence didn’t fare much better in the second period. 47 seconds into the frame Sofie Lundin was allowed to walk in and take the puck right up the middle of the zone then fire a backhander over goalie Mia Christine Isdahl.

Madelen Stromgren and Lina Ljungblom added a goal each in the third period.

"We had our best game of the tournament so far, but I think our best game is still ahead of us," said forward Sofie Lundin. 

With the win the defending Youth Olympic women's champions move on to the playoff round where they will play Slovakia. The Slovaks took the Swedes to a shootout in a 2-1 loss, so it could be a tight battle to see which team will advance to the gold medal game.


ADAM STEISS