The United States took 46 shots at Linus Soderstrom on Monday, but they weren’t enough to get on the scoresheet as the Americans fell to Sweden 1-0.
Despite the loss, team USA ought to feel pretty good about their tournament thus far. The Americans beat the favorite (Canada) and dominated the second-toughest team in the group. If this is the way the United States plays the rest of the tournament, the Americans are in good shape.
USA outshot Sweden 46-23 with only Alex Nylander’s second-period tally going up on the scoreboard. Zach Werenski led all skaters with six shots on goal while Nick Schmaltz tallied five shots against Soderstrom. Defensively the Americans held Sweden down for large stretches of the game, but the third period saw the United States attack slowed dramatically. After rifling off 17 and 22 shots in the first and second periods of the game, the Americans took only seven shots on goal in the third.
Team USA is back at it on Wednesday against Timo Meier, Noah Rod and Team Switzerland while Sweden battles Denmark on the same day.
[Stats]
Fear the Fin’s Three Stars
1) Linus Soderstrom
2) Alex Nylander
3) Zach Werenski
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