"It's important to get a complete performance in a match like this and we're not getting that. It's going a little too fast," says national team captain Ulf Lundberg to SVT.
"We still finished the game with some dignity and had a good third period. We dared to take it and challenge. That's what we have to do to be able to score," adds defender Mira Jungåker.
Tre Kronor's women dreamed of a super shock like the one in Turin 20 years ago when the Swedes won 3-2 after a penalty shootout and made it to the Olympic final against Canada.
That dream shattered.
But the medal dream remains. Tre Kronor's women will face the loser of the other semi-final between Canada and Switzerland in the bronze medal match on Thursday.
Sweden has not won a championship medal since the World Cup bronze in 2007, the year after the silver at the Turin Olympics.
They had a chance for a long time
For a long time, the Swedes had a chance in the semifinals, the first Swedish team in a semifinal at an international championship since the Sochi Olympics twelve years ago.
But three quick American goals in less than three minutes killed the game.
The USA went from 2–0 to 5–0 and after the fourth goal, starting goalkeeper Ebba Svensson Träff was replaced by Emma Söderberg.
The USA dominated the first period in terms of play and took a 1–0 lead through defenseman Cayla Barnes. But Svensson Träff made a series of saves as the USA won the shot count 13–2.
In the second period, the Swedes went on the offensive and constantly worried American goalkeeper Aerin Frankel, who looked uncertain at times.
But the puck wouldn't go in.
Taylor Heise made it 2–0, but the Swedes continued to create chances.
But then came the Swedish collapse.
Dare more
Three quick American goals - Abbey Murphy, Kendall Coyne and Hayley Scamurra - decided the game. Sweden won the second period shot count 13–11, but the USA won the middle period 4–0.
The final period ended goalless.
"I'm very happy with the performance in the third period. I'll take that with me to the game against Canada or Switzerland," says Ulf Lundberg.
"In the first period, everyone was afraid to do anything with the puck, but we have nothing to lose. We are more daring in the third period," says Mira Jungåker.
Goalkeeper Emma Söderberg, who replaced Svensson Träff, didn't have long to play before she was hit by Abbey Murphy. Swedish defender Jessica Adolfsson, a clubmate of Söderberg's in SDE, became so upset that she knocked the American down with a straight right to the chest.
Both Adolfsson and Murphy were expelled.
