HELSINKI – Alexander Nylander and Gustav Forsling had a goal and an assist each as Sweden beat Canada 5-2 on Thursday in the final game of the preliminary round at the world junior hockey championship.
Canada was guaranteed third place in Group A regardless of Thursday’s result. The Canadians will play host Finland in quarter-final play Saturday at Hartwall Arena.
Adrian Kempe and Anton Karlsson also tallied for Sweden (4-0), while Rasmus Asplund added an empty-netter. Sweden will next face Slovakia in the quarter-finals.
Mitchell Stephens and Mitch Marner scored for Canada, which had a regulation win, overtime win and two losses in the preliminary round. Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves on 31 shots in front of a raucous crowd at Helsinki Ice Hall.
Linus Soderstrom stopped 21 shots for the victory. Felix Sandstrom was in the Swedish net for the final three minutes of the game and turned aside the only shot he faced.
Three of Sweden’s goals came on the power play as Canada struggled to stay out of the penalty box throughout the game, picking up 10 minor penalties in all.
