Sweden recovered from a deficit twice, World Junior Championship gold medalist Jack Berglund accounted for two assists, but Canada scored two straight goals in the final period and won 5–3.
"It's sad to lose, of course, but now the first match is over and it's tough to face Canada," Viggo Björck tells Viaplay.
If Tre Kronor sent some of the stars of the future to the BCF Arena in Fribourg, Canada brought the stars of today with Sidney Crosby at the forefront.
Class difference
Center Viggo Björck, 18 years and 64 days, became the youngest World Championship player in Tre Kronor and his teammate Ivar Stenberg the sixth youngest. Björck wasn't exactly nervous about that.
"A little nervous, but that's usually the case before every match. You try to find focus on the task at hand and you have to be fully focused on Canada," the teenager says.
"You do your best out there. I think I can play better, but still an okay performance," he says of his debut.
But at first there was class difference.
Canada started off strong and Toronto star John Tavares put them up 1–0 after a quick turnover behind goalie Magnus Hellberg, and Ryan O'Reilly made it 2–0 after the youngsters lost puck battles in their own zone and failed to clear the puck.
Ivar Stenberg had an equalizer to make it 1–1 after a deflection, but didn't celebrate.
"I realized pretty quickly that it was a big deal," he tells Radiosporten.
In the second period, Tre Kronor, with nine World Championship debutants, came out more confident, more offensive and scored three goals. Jack Berglund, one of three World Championship gold heroes on the ice, played until the second period.
Defender Jacob Larsson cut the lead to 2–1, Detroit star Lucas Raymond - in the first chain with Björck and Stenberg - tied the score at 2–2 on the power play.
“They sit and tremble”
Dylan Holloway gave Canada the lead again, but veteran defender Mattias Ekholm got a dream hit and tied the game at 3–3.
"They've lost 2-0. It feels good of course. Now we just have to hope that they're sitting there shaking a little," Jack Berglund told Viaplay during the second half.
The Swedes started the third period optimistically, Stenberg had a great chance but the puck bounced over his stick.
Instead, Canada made it 4–3 through Connor Brown after a quick passing play, then turned up the tempo, took over again and Dylan Cozens made it 5–3 in a quick turnaround.
Sweden will face Denmark in the next World Championship match on Sunday.
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Viggo Björck, 18 years and 64 days, debuted May 15, 2026.
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Leo Carlsson: 18 years 136 days, debut May 12, 2023.
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Nicklas Bäckström: 18 years 173 days, debut May 15, 2006.
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Daniel Sedin: 18 years 220 days, debut May 4, 1999.
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Henrik Sedin: 18 years 222 days, debut May 6, 1999.
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Ivar Stenberg, 18 years and 227 days, debut May 15, 2026.
Source: Swedish Ice Hockey Association.
