Guide to the World Cup quarterfinals between Sweden and the Czech Republic

When? The quarterfinals between Sweden and the Czech Republic start at 20.20 on Thursday evening.

Were? Sweden plays all its matches in Avicii Arena, in Stockholm.

Czech Republic World Cup Facit

When you count the medals that were taken even when the Czech Republic was called Czechoslovakia, there have been a total of 48 medals. Incidentally, exactly as many medals as Sweden has taken.

However, the Czech Republic has taken more gold than Sweden, 13 against 11.

After a good period between 1999 and 2010, when the Czech Republic took three straight World Cup gold in 1999, 2000, 2001 and gold in 2005 and 2010 and a World Cup silver in 2006, the national team had it heavier for a few years. Between 2011 and 2022 there were only three bronze: 2011, 2012 and 2022.

However, the bronze 2022 gave hope that a lighter time was waiting. Something the Czechs received evidence for last year – When they took gold at home ice cream in Prague.

The World Cup party at home

Last year’s World Cup in the Czech Republic became an audience success, and after the Czech Republic was fairly easy to win the semi -finals of Sweden by 7-3, they were set against Switzerland in the final.

It was a tight final that was speechless until the middle of the second period. Then Czech big star David Pastrnak stepped forward and scored the 1-0 goal. When David Kampf then set the final score to 2-0 in an empty goal cage in the closing seconds, happiness was great.

For the first time in 14 years, the Czech Republic was world champion again.

Sold out when Sweden plays

All three kronor seven group games have been sold out (12,530 people). This means that the roles in Thursday’s quarterfinals will be reversed compared to when the team met in the semi -finals last year.

At that time it was the Czech Republic that had the audience’s support – this time it will be Sweden.

– They beat us at home. We hope to do the same, says Lucas Raymond.

Eleven players left from the gold team

In this year’s Czech World Cup team there are eleven players who participated in and won gold last year, including 39-year-old team captain Roman Cervenka.

He was also in the gold team in 2010.

– They have a large group that plays together in many tournaments in EHT (Euro Hockey Tour), says Three Kronor’s national team captain Sam Hallam.

– Then they have added some real quality players. It is a good hockey team, which has a clear game idea, is a bit quirky offensive – and very sacrificial.

A federal captain under pressure – or?

Sam Hallam is waiting for the really great success as the national team for Tre Kronor-and what would have been better than a World Cup gold at home?

At the same time, the issues are constantly returning to the press.

– I have the knife against the throat all the time. I have known it throughout my coaching career, that it is important to perform – now, now, now, Hallam told DN before the championship in Stockholm.

Before Thursday’s quarterfinals Against the Czech Republic, the question came up again when the union captain met the media – and Hallam ended up in a minor exposition on the theme:

– I always feel a little pressed. I have been doing this since I was 15 years old and played the DM final against Huddinge here at Hovet-even though we won by 9-1. It was much nicer to go to school the day after when you beat your classmates, says the league captain with a wry smile.

– So I know now – before every match. An expectation to win, both for your own part, for the team, for the union, for my family. Everyone gets sour around me when we lose.

Life is much better when winning, Hallam notes.

– When I say it is easy to interpret it as: Ouff, it sounds negative. But that is the world we are in. It is clear that there is pressure on us when we step into a quarterfinals – and it should.

– Somewhere it’s probably the one you are looking for. It’s not so damn fun to lira those four straight training matches against Finland, three weeks before the World Cup. These are these matches we want to play, and some you want are a bit of this knot in your stomach, a little feeling of pressure.

He finishes:

– So the press for tomorrow, yes, I know it. It is part of it, and I enjoy it a bit. The press in the long -term, no.

More journalists to Stockholm

Together with Sweden and Finland, the Czech Republic is the country that has the most accredited journalists.

As the Czech Republic has played its group games in Herning, and came to Stockholm only on Wednesday to prepare for the quarterfinals, this meant that the number of journalists in place in the Swedish capital also increased.

Dream reinforcement

It had been rumored for a couple of days – and during Wednesday afternoon the news was also made official from Blågult.

NHL star William Nylander, everyday in Toronto, joins the Three Kronor World Cup squad- and is ready for play against the Czech Republic.

A real bonus for the decisive phase of the home tournament.

Best plus/minus in three crowns

1. Jonas Brodin, Back, +9.

2. Lucas Raymond, forward, +7.

3. Mikael Backlund, forward, +6.

What happens at a draw after regular time?

If the quarterfinals are draws after three periods played, an extension in game three is waiting for three – for a maximum of ten minutes.

If no decisive has happened after ten minutes, it will be penalties.

– It is difficult to remember exactly. Fortunately, I have scored a good goal at all in any case, says Tre Kronors forward Filip Forsberg on the question of his own experiences of Czech NHL goalkeepers Daniel Vladar (Calgary) and Karel Vejmelka (Utah).

– I scored on Vejmelka on penalty quite recently anyway. We will take that with us if there is a penalty. Then whether it is positive or not – we must see that!

So it is decided which teams meet in the semi -finals

Ahead of the semi -finals, the four teams will be ranked according to the following criteria: 1. The placement in the group, 2. Points in the group play, 3. Goal difference in the group play, 4. Number of goals scored in the group play, 5. Seeding on the world ranking before the tournament.

The highest ranked team meets the lowest ranked in the seminar.

TV

Three Kronor quarterfinals against the Czech Republic are shown in TV6 and Viaplay.

Other quarterfinals on Thursday

16.20: USA -Eastern, TV6 and Viaplay.

16.20: Switzerland – Eastern Kingdom, TV10 and Viaplay.

20.20: Canada-Danmark, TV10 and Viaplay.

Read more:

Three Kronor is placed against the champions: « World Class Players »

Clear: William Nylander connects to the hockey World Cup

DN tips: So the quarterfinals end in hockey World Cup

Sam Hallam: « I have the knife against the throat all the time »