Just like during all group stage matches - seven straight victories - the Swiss Life Arena was packed with 10,000 spectators who turned the stands red during the sizzling World Cup quarter-final in Zurich.
The onslaught came right after the puck drop, the noise level was deafening and the audience jumped so much that the concrete arena shook. Suddenly it became dead quiet and still.
At 6:21, Linus Karlsson sent Tre Kronor's lead goal between the legs of Leonardo Genoni.
“Should have gotten it in”
Then Tre Kronor's junior Ivar Stenberg was cross-checked in the face by Dean Kukan and the defender received a match penalty.
During the five-minute power play, Oskar Sundqvist got the puck in with his skate, but after video review the goal was ruled out.
"We're fighting a lot today but we can't get it in. We should have gotten it in there, really badly," says Lucas Raymond.
Instead of an anguished 0-2 deficit, the home crowd exploded with joy at 13:23. Then Nashville superstar Roman Josi scored the equalizer from his back position.
The shock loss to Norway in the group in Fribourg meant that Sweden struggled to finish fourth and faced the toughest possible opposition in Zurich.
It was noticeable in the second period when Tre Kronor suffered two heavy injuries and only had three shots on goal. First, team captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson was forced to leave without returning to play after landing on his head on the ice. Shortly after, Denis Malgin slid through and gave Switzerland the lead.
Out in a wheelchair
A little over a minute later, Sundqvist had to be helped off the ice after a leg tackle from New Jersey star Timo Meier, but a second Swiss penalty was not awarded. The forward was seen in a wheelchair inside the arena and was unable to continue playing.
With just over three minutes left to play, the uphill climb became even steeper for Sweden when Calvin Thurkauf scored the 3-1 goal.
Switzerland has lost two straight World Cup finals and four in total. The first two final losses came against Sweden in 2013 and 2018.
Sweden could not get close in the third act and Sam Hallam's last championship as national captain ended in the quarterfinals.
"A lot of emotions, of course. I think we came out in a good way. The goals we conceded feel cheap and easy. But a hell of a warrior effort," says Hallam.
For Switzerland, the formidable Norway awaits in the semi-finals on Saturday.
