After group play ended on Sunday evening, Sweden's Tre Kronor will face Latvia in the Olympic ice hockey round of 16 on Tuesday. Denmark's surprise 4–2 victory over Latvia sealed the matchup. Experts view the game as one Sweden should win, but advise respecting Latvia's skills.
Sweden's opponent in the Olympic ice hockey round of 16 was confirmed after group play concluded on Sunday evening. Tre Kronor will face Latvia in the match scheduled for Tuesday at 21:10.
The draw was decided by Denmark's 4–2 win over Latvia. Denmark, already eliminated, pulled off an upset by taking an early lead. Nick Olesen scored 1–0 just 23 seconds in, followed by goals from Mikkel Aagaard and Nikolaj Ehlers for a 3–0 advantage. Latvia narrowed it to 3–2 after the second period, but Denmark added a 4–2 empty-net goal late in the third.
A Danish loss would have set up a matchup between Sweden and Denmark in the round of 16. Instead, it's Latvia, which experts see as favorable for Tre Kronor.
SVT expert Jonas Andersson states: "It is a match that Sweden should just win." Henrik Lundqvist adds: "It is important to play a smart game and respect Latvia's skill."
Should Sweden win the round of 16, they face the USA in the quarterfinals, indicating a challenging path to a potential final.
