Sweden Dominates USA 6-3 to Win Group Final at Junior World Championship

Sweden secured a commanding 6-3 victory over the USA in the group final of the 2026 Junior World Championship (JVM), playing a thrilling game that showcased skill, physicality, and resilience. The match took place at a packed Grand Casino arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on New Year’s Eve, kicking off at midnight Swedish time.

Sweden opened the scoring midway through the first period with a goal from Casper Juustovaara Karlsson, silencing the home crowd. The second period was a standout phase for the Swedish team, as Lucas Pettersson and Eddie Genborg each netted two goals within twelve minutes, propelling Sweden to a commanding 5-1 lead. Pettersson was praised by hockey experts like Håkan Loob and Jonas Andersson, who labeled the second period as one of the best of the tournament. Pettersson himself was named player of the match and expressed his joy, saying, "It's fun to play hockey today. These are the matches you want to play as a hockey player."

The intense third period saw a response from the USA, including a goal by Teddy Stiga, but Sweden maintained control with a power-play goal from Ivar Stenberg, sealing the victory at 6-3.

The match also featured significant physical play, with Swedish players criticizing the aggressive and sometimes "dirty" tactics by the Americans. Eddie Genborg commented on the tough nature of the game and expressed frustration over some controversial tackles, noting that penalties were inconsistently called. Lucas Pettersson was subjected to a late and penalized hit by American player AJ Spellacy, which experts described as an assault, with some blaming referees for losing control of the heated match.

With this win, Sweden tops their group with 12 points from four matches, setting up a quarterfinal clash against Latvia, while the USA will face Finland. The Swedish team and fans celebrated the morale-boosting victory that demonstrated both skill and mental toughness under pressure.