Sweden had won all five matches on the way to the semifinal against Finland, but then the clearly toughest task so far in the tournament awaited.
And it was a painful ending when the Junior Crowns' chance to take their first World Championship gold since 2012 disappeared. With only 38 seconds left of the overtime, Benjamin Rautiainen scored the winning goal, from a small angle.
It was the final point of a match with several faces.
We play with our hearts in the last period and also in the overtime. We have many opportunities, but the puck doesn't want to go in, says Sandin-Pellikka in SVT's broadcast after the match.
The first period ended 0-0, after Finland started best before the Junior Crowns gradually grew into the match.
Five goals in the middle period
The middle period was even more eventful.
It only took 1.22 minutes before Otto Stenberg broke the zero in the match. He snatched the puck in the middle zone and came into a two-on-one situation. Stenberg chose to finish himself - quickly and sharply in the first cross to a blue-yellow 1-0 lead.
Just over three minutes later, it was equalized. Sweden had just cleared a numerical inferiority, but only a second after the team became full-strength, Emil Hemming scored 1-1.
Finland also seemed to take the lead through Aron Kiviharju before half the period was played. But Sweden chose to request a video review due to a suspected offside, and the goal was disallowed. Nice not least for goalkeeper Melker Thelin, who had let in Kiviharju's shot a bit too easily.
Finland's 2-1 goal came eventually, after 13.28. Jesse Kiiskinen stood alone at the far post and scored the leading goal.
There was more to come.
Stenberg equalized, a bit luckily via a Finnish glove, with less than two minutes left of the period. Yet Finland went to the break in the lead. Arttu Alasiura got to tap in in front of the cage and make it 3-2 with only 21 seconds left until the period break.
Strong forcing
In the third period, almost everything was about the Junior Crowns, who pushed Finland back completely in the hunt for an equalizer. Finally, the reward came when Wilhelm Hallquisth equalized to 3-3 with 8.28 left.
It became overtime - and Finnish victory jubilation in the end.
The decisive goal came in a numerical inferiority. Sweden was hit by a penalty with just over a minute left of the overtime.
They got their chance, and the puck went in. It's clear that it hurts when you're so close to a final, says national team captain Magnus Hävelid to SVT.
It's just a matter of reloading for the bronze match tomorrow, says Sandin-Pellikka.
Sweden will face either the USA or the Czech Republic for the bronze.
