USA vs Sweden. Who will win in the battle of the favorites of group B?
The fate of the first place in group B will be decided on August 15 in the rivalry between the teams of the USA and Sweden. The meeting will be held in Edmonton, on the ice of the Roger Place Arena.
Unlike their older teammates on the national team, American youth have been remarkably successful at the international level in recent years. The American youth team has five gold medals, and three gold medals have been earned over the past ten years. Moreover, at the current tournament, it is the American youth team that performs in the rank of current World Champions, having won gold a year ago in the same Edmonton.
Some of the hockey players from last year's championship team are still in the ranks, which gives the Americans a certain advantage over their main competitors. In the opening matches of the group stage, the Americans went over their rivals with a rink, scoring two big wins with a total goal difference of 12-2. The German hockey players were the first to experience the power of the American attack, losing to the reigning champions with a score of 1-5. It was even more difficult for the Swiss, who had seven goals at once, to which the Europeans answered only once. Interestingly, defender Luke Hughes is the most productive member of the US team, who scored four assists and one abandoned puck in the opening matches.
Sweden
The Swedish national team at the youth level is less titled than the rival, having only two gold medals of the World Championships. The last golden success dates back to 2012, when the Scandinavians, led by future NHL stars Forsberg and Zibanejad, beat Russia 1-0 in the final. Since then, the maximum that the Swedes have achieved has been to reach the final three times, stopping a step away from gold medals in 2013, 2014 and 2018. The Swedes completed last year's championship already at the quarterfinal stage, losing to the Finnish team with a score of 2-3.
Even before the start of the tournament, the Swedish team was left without its main star. Forward William Eklund decided to miss the tournament, arguing his choice as an attempt to gain a foothold in the first team of the San Jose Sharks. Without their leading striker, the Swedes with great difficulty beat the Swiss 3-2 in the opening game of the championship, allowing the opponent to reduce the score to a minimum in the third period, thereby ensuring a nervous ending.
Our Expert Predictions & Analysis on USA vs Sweden
USAUnlike their older teammates on the national team, American youth have been remarkably successful at the international level in recent years. The American youth team has five gold medals, and three gold medals have been earned over the past ten years. Moreover, at the current tournament, it is the American youth team that performs in the rank of current World Champions, having won gold a year ago in the same Edmonton.
Some of the hockey players from last year's championship team are still in the ranks, which gives the Americans a certain advantage over their main competitors. In the opening matches of the group stage, the Americans went over their rivals with a rink, scoring two big wins with a total goal difference of 12-2. The German hockey players were the first to experience the power of the American attack, losing to the reigning champions with a score of 1-5. It was even more difficult for the Swiss, who had seven goals at once, to which the Europeans answered only once. Interestingly, defender Luke Hughes is the most productive member of the US team, who scored four assists and one abandoned puck in the opening matches.
Sweden
The Swedish national team at the youth level is less titled than the rival, having only two gold medals of the World Championships. The last golden success dates back to 2012, when the Scandinavians, led by future NHL stars Forsberg and Zibanejad, beat Russia 1-0 in the final. Since then, the maximum that the Swedes have achieved has been to reach the final three times, stopping a step away from gold medals in 2013, 2014 and 2018. The Swedes completed last year's championship already at the quarterfinal stage, losing to the Finnish team with a score of 2-3.
Even before the start of the tournament, the Swedish team was left without its main star. Forward William Eklund decided to miss the tournament, arguing his choice as an attempt to gain a foothold in the first team of the San Jose Sharks. Without their leading striker, the Swedes with great difficulty beat the Swiss 3-2 in the opening game of the championship, allowing the opponent to reduce the score to a minimum in the third period, thereby ensuring a nervous ending.
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