2017 World Juniors scores: Sweden takes care of Slovakia with commanding quarterfinal win

While the focus of the 2017 World Junior Championships has been on the likes of Canada and the United States, Sweden has quietly gone about their business in dominant fashion.

That continued unabated on Monday. Sweden polished off an 8-3 win over Slovakia in the quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinals for the 11th consecutive tournament. Slovakia hasn’t advanced past the quarterfinals since a surprise bronze medal in 2015.

Rasmus Asplund led Sweden with four assists, while Joel Eriksson Ek and Tim Soderlund both netted two goals apiece. Sweden goalie Felix Sandstrom was mostly untested in net, but he did give up three goals on 14 shots. It remains to be seen whether he or Filip Gustavsson gets the start when Sweden plays either Canada or the Czech Republic in the semifinals.

Penalty trouble put Sweden on the board early. Eriksson Ek turned a pass from Asplund into his fourth goal of the tournament.

The goals came quickly for Sweden as the first period drew to a close, with both Soderlund and Carl Grundstrom scoring to give Sweden a healthy 3-0 lead.

Slovakia began the second period with two successful penalty kills, but they were bookended by more goals for Sweden. Alexander Nylander registered his fifth goal of the tournament, and Fredrik Karlstrom scored his first to extend Sweden’s lead to 5-0.

With about 12 minutes left in the game, Slovakia started making things interesting. Adam Ruzicka, Martin Bodak, and Miroslav Struska scored three unanswered goals to bring Slovakia within two.

Sweden stuck with Sandstrom and proceeded to put the game away with three more goals from Eriksson Ek, Soderlund, and Lias Andersson.