Erik Karlsson had the game-winning goal in Sweden's 3-1 win over France at the World Championship on Monday, helping carry Sweden to a 6-0 start to open the tournament in Czechia.
After a scoreless first period, Sweden and France each got a goal in the middle frame. Karlsson broke the tie 1:29 into the third period on a power play when Victor Hedman set Karlsson up for a slap shot:
๐จErik Karlsson with the powerplay slapper! ๐Sweden takes the lead!#SWEFRA#MensWorlds@Trekronorse pic.twitter.com/oMHPyKoIl8
โ IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 20, 2024
Sweden capped off the win with an empty-net goal with four seconds remaining.
Karlsson finished the game with two shots on goal in 20:59 on Sweden's top pairing alongside Hedman.
Karlsson now has four goals and three assists through six games. He's tied for 14th in scoring in the tournament and ranks second among defensemen, behind only Roman Josi's 11 points for Switzerland. He ranks third on Sweden in scoring, behind Marcus Johansson and Andre Burakovsky, who each have nine points.
TRE KRONOR
Marcus Pettersson and Erik Karlsson beside each other in the locker room on Monday.
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โข Marcus Pettersson was scoreless in Sweden's win. He had four shots on goal in 17:33 on the third pairing.
โข Penguins minor-league forward and Robert Morris alum Justin Addamo was scoreless in France's loss, playing 13:48 on the third line. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on the French national team, but it seems crazy that Addamo scored two goals and contributed to two more with screens in his debut following the Nailers' elimination, and hasn't been rewarded with more ice time. France has only scored 10 goals in their six games. Maybe the guy directly responsible for two and indirectly responsible for two more in a single game should be out there for more than 13 minutes. Maybe France is content with just scoring a goal a game, I don't know.
โข Finland beat Denmark, 3-1. Jesse Puljujarvi and Valtteri Puustinen were both scoreless. Puljujarvi had one shot in 15:43, Puustinen had one shot in 13:04.
โข The preliminary round wraps up Tuesday. Games involving Penguins players:
6:20 a.m. Eastern: France (Addamo) vs. Germany
6:20 a.m.: Austria (Thimo Nickl) vs. Great Britain
10:20 a.m.: Canada (Michael Bunting) vs. Czechia
10:20 a.m.: Latvia (Raivis Ansons) vs. USA (Alex Nedeljkovic)
2:20 p.m.: Finland (Puljujarvi, Puustinen) vs. Switzerland
2:20 p.m.: Sweden (Karlsson, Pettersson) vs. Slovakia
