Junior Crowns Top USA to Win Their Group

SAINT PAUL. Lucas Pettersson silenced the home crowd in the USA with two goals in the 6–3 victory.

And offered a cocky target gesture.

– It’s emotions, he says.

After three straight victories, the JVM group stage ended against the host nation USA in front of a full crowd in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

And it was a match to remember for the Junior crowns.

Luleå talent Casper Juustovaara scored 1–0 and the home crowd fell silent several times during the evening.

Two two-goal shooters

In a dazzling second period, where both Eddie Genborg and Lucas Pettersson scored two goals, Sweden stormed into a 5–1 lead.

Pettersson celebrated his first goal (3–0) by covering his ears while the atmosphere completely died in the hall.

Did the goal gesture come spontaneously?

– I wasn’t going to comment too much on it. But those are feelings.

He continues:

– These are the games you want to play as a hockey player because there are an incredible amount of fans and a great setting, especially on New Year’s.

The 4–0 goal was firmly in the same cross.

– I think pass almost the whole way. And then it becomes mental with the goalkeeper, that I try to shoot in the same place. Maybe he wasn’t prepared for that, says Pettersson, who has now scored four goals in the tournament.

The junior crowns were highly praised by the expert Jonas Andersson in SVT:

– The second period is one of the best I have seen a Swedish junior national team play.

The audience went home: “Not surprised”

The USA cut the lead to 5-3 before Ivar Stenberg punctuated the match with his 6-3 goal – cheekily set up by Jack Berglund in a five-on-three game.

– It was nice to have a simple bag, but it felt like I deserved it, says Ivar Stenberg.

With five minutes remaining, some home fans in the arena started to go home, without missing any further goals.

– I am not surprised. That would not happen in Sweden. But we know that it is like this, says Victor Eklund.

He continues:

– There are so many of us who just step forward today and do the work. And we play so damn easy. It doesn’t feel like the US is enjoying it at all.

Victor Eklund believes that those who opted out of the match for New Year’s celebrations at home in Sweden were wrong.

– They missed something really good … but it’s fun to set off firecrackers too!

With the victory, Latvia awaits in the quarter-finals for the Junior crowns. This with release at 20.00 Swedish time on Friday.