For Team Sweden it was a game they’ll try to forget. For Team Europe it was one they can build off of.
Here are a few things we learned from Europe’s 6-2 stomping of Sweden.
Draisaitl puts on a show
Europe head coach Ralph Krueger benched Leon Draisaitl during a 7-4 loss to North America Sunday. The Edmonton Oilers standout finished with a team-low 5:30 of ice time, and Wednesday he sent a message that benching him won’t be necessary for the remainder of the World Cup.
Draisaitl was the best player on the ice as he registered a hat trick, something the 20-year-old hasn’t done yet in his NHL career. It was a nice and balanced hat trick too. He got one on the forehand, one on the backhand and he even tipped one in. His second goal in particular was special. Undoubtedly one of the best of the pre-tournament as he burned Mattias Ekholm and chipped the puck by Henrik Lundqvist.
Cologne’s Draisaitl has always played well at world juniors and world championships but he gets overshadowed at these international tournaments since Germany usually doesn’t fare well. However, this tournament has all the makings of a coming out party for the youngster and Wednesday was an example of what he’s capable of.
Sweden can’t find its legs and Lundqvist looks shaky
This isn’t what you want to hear if you’re going to be cheering for Team Sweden. Typically when you play the Swedes you feel claustrophobic. There isn’t much room to do anything. They stick to you at both ends of the ice.
That didn’t happen Wednesday, though. Sweden was a half step behind the Europeans all night. They couldn’t get their cycle game going—at least not when the Sedins weren’t out there—and Lundqvist wasn’t his usual solid self.
Europe’s fifth goal was symbolic of Sweden’s effort. An uncharacteristic giveaway from Anton Stralman early in the third sent Thomas Vanek in alone and he slid a soft one through Lundqvist.
Team Europe finally strikes with the man advantage
Europe went 0-for-3 on the power play in their two games against North America and didn’t get anything going on their first opportunity Wednesday. They ended that drought early in the second on a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal. Switzerland’s Mark Streit found Slovakia’s Marian Gaborik on a nice outlet pass and Gaborik sent it over to his countryman Tomas Tatar who ripped a wrister past Lundqvist.
Europe will go as far as Halak takes them
Europe didn’t seem like they had a roster that could compete with the tournament favourites—at least not on paper—but if Jaroslav Halak plays like he did Wednesday night they could surprise some people.
Thomas Greiss got lit up for four goals on eight shots in the second game against North America, so it’s clear his Islanders teammate Halak is Europe’s best option after Frederik Andersen had to bow out of the tourney with an injury. Halak only played 36 games in 2015-16 and a lower-body injury caused his season to end in early March but he didn’t look rusty against the Swedes. In fact, he shone with 29 saves.
It was the type of steady performance that had to boost his team’s confidence as they prepare for a Saturday matchup with Team USA in a game that actually counts.
