Sweden Edges Slovakia 3-2 in Dramatic Junior World Championship Opener

Sweden's Juniorkronorna narrowly defeated Slovakia 3-2 in a tense opening match at the 2025 Junior World Championship held in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The victory was clinched by Ivar Stenberg, who scored the winning goal in the final minutes after Slovakia had leveled the game at 2-2.

Sweden started strong with Anton Frondell scoring the first goal in the second period, assisted by Alfons Freij, followed shortly by Victor Eklund's goal, giving Sweden a 2-0 lead. However, the game became complicated as Slovakia fought back, with Tomas Pobezal and Tobias Tomik reducing the deficit and equalizing, respectively.

The match was further marked by the disallowed goal of Viggo Björck after a video review ruled interference on the Slovak goalie. Björck acknowledged the decision but described it as "a bit questionable." Goalkeeper Love Härenstam, who replaced Herman Liv, was praised for his crucial saves during Slovakia’s comeback efforts. Swedish expert Håkan Loob highlighted the significance of this strong start for team morale.

Despite the nerves and some critique from Jonas Andersson regarding Sweden's passing in the third period, the team managed to hold on, with Stenberg expressing relief about the victory and the importance of closing the game earlier. The win places Sweden at the top of their group with 3 points, setting up upcoming matches against Switzerland, Germany, and the USA, with knockout rounds beginning January 2.

The tournament holds special significance as it marks Sweden’s pursuit of gold after a 13-year gap since their last championship win in 2012, when NHL star Mika Zibanejad scored the decisive goal. The games are played at the Minnesota Wild’s home arena, with the NHL team adjusting their schedule to accommodate the event.