From there, it was time to shut down the Canadians, and although there were exchanged attempts, the rest of the game was focused on keeping the puck out of their own net and securing the win.

Lekkerimäki finished the game with one assist, one shot, and a plus-one rating through 16:42 of ice time.

Tom Willander

Tom Willander was noticeable early in this game, showcasing strong outlets and providing some noteworthy offensive opportunities. Through his first two games, this was something that had not been on display a ton, so it was encouraging to see.

In his first few shifts, he set up the game’s best chance, skillfully handling the puck off his skates and maneuvering through the opposing team, setting up the scoring chance.

His significant contribution came in the second period, breaking the deadlock in this extremely tight match with the game’s first goal.

Following a great pass from Theo Lindstein, Willander leaned into the puck, unleashing a perfectly placed wrist shot above the goaltender’s pad to secure his first goal in a World Junior setting.

It’s safe to say, he lifted the roof with this goal.

As an 18-year-old playing in a primary shutdown role, offence is not what will make his tournament successful…

With that said, you know that this one felt good.

The goal would hold up as the eventual game-winning tally.

As mentioned, the Swedes would shift their focus, assuring that they come out on top with the victory. Willander played a prominent role in the third period, finishing second to only Elias Pettersson in ice time on the backend.

The Swedes had to kill two crucial penalties to end the game, and the first-rounder was a catalyst to that success.

He finished the game with a goal (game-winner), two shots and a plus-two rating through 17:59 of ice time.

Elias Pettersson

With Elias Solomonsson returning from his served suspension, Elias Pettersson saw his ice time decrease for the first time this week.

With that said, it didn’t decrease by much.

Despite playing on the “third” paring in Friday’s match, Pettersson still managed to eat up 20:41 minutes, finishing with the Swedes’ most minutes for the third consecutive game.

Whether on even-strength or during penalty kills, the 19-year-old is logging extensive ice time and maintaining consistency shift after shift.

As expected, Pettersson set the tone early on, delivering several hits to show the Canadians that he means business.

Midway through the first period, the Canadians found themselves on a potential 3-on-1, with only Pettersson to defend the Swedish zone.

Did he panic? Absolutely not. Instead, he dropped down to break up the pass, which would have provided a stellar chance for the Canadians and single-handedly thwarted the rush.

As we’ve learned throughout the tournament, Pettersson hasn’t brought much to the table in terms of highlights and offensive flair, but he’s been the unsung hero for Sweden on the backend, giving his opponents nothing to work with and providing cool, calm transitions.

He finished the game with one shot, while leading the team with 20:41 of ice time.

Next up for the Swedes is their highly-anticipated rival match against Team Finland, scheduled for New Year’s Eve.

The Finns have had a challenging tournament, entering with a 1-2-0 record after experiencing the tournament’s biggest upset at the hands of the Germans.

Stay tuned for our preview at CanucksArmy.