The blue-and-yellow players were disappointed after the 1-3 loss to host nation Switzerland at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich and their exit from the Ice Hockey World Championship.
But above all, the post-match talk was about two ugly hits, on defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Oskar Sundqvist - both had to stop playing in the second period due to injuries.
"I was scared"
Sundqvist was on the receiving end of a knee tackle by New Jersey star Timo Meier, but the referees chose not to review the situation on video, and instead the Swiss player was only penalized for a cross-check. After the collision, Albert Johansson scuffled with Meier and Johansson was also sent off.
"It looks like a knee tackle pretty clearly. The referees don't want to agree with it at all," says Edmonton defender Mattias Ekholm.
"I don't know if they were afraid after they took a five in the first period that now we won't get out of here or what it is," Ekholm continues.
In the first period, Dean Kukan received a match penalty for a cross-check to the face of 18-year-old Ivar Stenberg, who also believes the referees bowed to pressure from the 10,000 spectators.
"They don't dare go against the crowd. They had taken a five and don't dare take another one," says the 18-year-old.
Ekman-Larsson hit his head on the ice after a leg sweep, but the referees did not call a penalty.
"You can look at both of those situations, both with Oliver and Oskar, and you can really feel that it's quite impressive that we don't get a second power play out of those two situations. It could have been three match penalties. I don't think I've experienced that very often," says Mattias Ekholm.
During the five-minute numerical superiority after Kukan's penalty, Oskar Sundqvist made it 2–0 for Sweden with his skate after Linus Karlsson had earlier given Sweden the lead in the first period.
"Never okay"
The goal was ruled out for kicking after video review. That gave Switzerland some air under its wings, says Mattias Ekholm.
"Of course, it gave them momentum to kill off the penalty instead of us getting 2-0."
The World Championship trip ended in the quarterfinals for Tre Kronor - for Switzerland, Norway awaits in the semifinals on Saturday.
"It is never okay for a Swedish national ice hockey team to go out in a quarter-final. Then we have to be humble about who we face and the squad we put on the ice," says Mattias Ekholm.
