How They Finished
Sweden emerged from Group B undefeated in their four games, outscoring their opponents 18-2 and only trailing for a total of 3:23 in their opening game against Germany. Their first-place finish pitted them against Czechia in the quarterfinals, who they impressively shut down in a 2-0 upset victory. Sweden fell to the eventual gold-medalist USA 5-0 in the semis to set up a bronze medal match with Switzerland, who denied Sweden a spot on the podium in an overtime heartbreaker. A fourth-place finish is Damkronorna’s best placement at the Olympics since they won silver in 2006, and is a significant improvement over their eighth-place result in 2022.
What Went Wrong – Keeping Momentum
With only two losses, one to the most dominant team of the tournament and the other essentially a coin flip, there isn’t much to complain about in regard to Sweden’s performance. If I had to pinpoint something, though, it would be their ability to continually control the run of play and capitalize upon it in the playoff rounds, with one particularly demonstrative incident in each game.
Against Czechia, a potential late 2-0 lead turned into a critical penalty kill with a tie game on the line after a preventable Thea Johansson goaltender interference call wiped Anna Kjellbin’s goal off the board. Sweden held on, but they didn’t make it easy on themselves, especially as Johansson took her third penalty of the game five minutes later. After a disastrous first period in the semifinals where they were outshot 13-2, Sweden appeared to be adjusting well to the United States’ pace, and headed to the power play with a chance to tie the game. Fast forward ten minutes, the deficit was now four goals and Ebba Svensson Träff had already gotten the hook.
The bronze medal game brought the clearest and most frustrating example, as Sweden’s lone goal was answered exactly four minutes later by Switzerland’s Sinja Leemann, on what should have merely been a routine breakout. The inability to carry momentum to create separation from their opponents or, in the case of the semifinals, climb back into a game well within reach, cost Sweden dearly when it mattered most.
What Went Right – Defense and Goaltending
Sweden blanked their final two Group B opponents, and as if that wasn’t enough, put on a defensive masterclass against Czechia to extend their shutout streak to over 200 minutes. Positioning in their own zone was a particular strength, allowing Swedish defenders to deny shooting lanes without having to drift too far from their coverage. The D-corps was no slouch offensively either, all recording at least one point and more putting up multiple points than not. Jenna Raunio led the way with four assists, despite departing a game early and missing another.
When chances did get through to Sweden’s net, it wasn’t like they were finding their way to the back of it easily either, as Ebba Svensson Träff and Emma Söderberg were both outstanding over the course of the tournament. Their combined .942 SV% was second-best behind a historically stingy USA goaltending tandem, and comparable to the goaltending Canada received on the way to gold in 2022. With Svensson Träff’s starting spot solidified at just 21 years of age and exciting options such as Felicia Frank and Maja Helge down the pipeline, Damkronorna’s set in net for a long time to come.
Top Three Players
D Mira Jungåker
The comparative lack of counting stats essentially ruled out the possibility, but Jungåker certainly had a case to be the blueliner alongside Caroline Harvey on the tournament all-star team. The 20-year-old was a consistent force at both ends of the ice, logging an average of 23:28 of ice time per game plus a whopping 28:30 in playoff contests, nearly half of regulation. Jungåker netted two goals, including Sweden’s lone goal in the bronze medal game, which came on her first shift back after a painful block up high. She tied for the team lead in shots with 27, a total that no other Swedish defender reached even half of. The Ohio State sophomore is going to be a top-pair staple for Sweden for a long, long time.
G Ebba Svensson Träff
The pull against the United States aside, Svensson Träff was lights-out in her first Olympic appearance. Taking the starter’s job while the previous #1 remains on the roster is no easy feat, but one she accomplished in playing just over 80% of Sweden’s minutes. Svensson Träff had a personal shutout streak of 151:39 that spanned from group play to the semifinal, and her 29-save effort versus Czechia in the quarters was the primary reason Sweden was able to play for a medal for the first time in over a decade.
F Sara Hjalmarsson
She may not have had the point totals of Hanna Olsson, Hilda Svensson, or Thea Johansson, but Hjalmarsson proved to be Sweden’s most reliable forward all tournament long. The power play goal against Czechia doesn’t go in without her net-front presence, and she addressed Sweden’s aforementioned issue of keeping up momentum with a drawn penalty directly afterwards. Hjalmarsson played the most of any Swedish forward at 20:34 a contest, and went positive in the faceoff dot in five of her seven games. She was no slouch on the offensive side herself either, with two goals and five points to her name.
Final Feelings
Sweden went into Milano Cortina looking to prove they belonged in the upper echelon of women’s hockey. By dominating Group B, pulling off the only inter-group upset of the tournament, and nearly doing it again in the bronze medal game, they accomplished just that. The national program is hitting its stride just in time to welcome a team legend and accomplished coach in Erika Holst behind the bench. With a loss this heartbreaking, taking the positives so soon afterwards is a tall order, but in time, Sweden will surely look back on their 2026 run with pride. They’ll be a consistent medal threat at World Championships going forward, and the world knows it.