Sweden faced tough resistance from Slovakia in the JVM opener but turned the match into a 3–2 victory with super talent Ivar Stenberg scoring the winner.
The match at Gran Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Boxing Day was a repeat of last year's JVM opener. Sweden took a 2–0 lead but lost it against a tricky Slovakian team without star Dalibor Dvorsky this year.
Slovakia equalized and heavily pressured the Swedish juniors. In the crucial moment, 17-year-old Ivar Stenberg stepped up with a beautiful solo goal that became the 3–2 winner. Expert Jonas Andersson praised the details: “Läckert” (Gorgeous).
A 17-year-old's beautiful solo goal was disallowed, sparking discussions. In SVT's chat, viewers expressed mixed feelings: “Pust! Inte övertygande på nåt sätt, men å andra sidan ska man bara göra vad som krävs...” (Phew! Not convincing in any way, but on the other hand, you just need to do what it takes...), one user wrote.
Host Dusan Umicevic and commentator Pelle Bäckman led the broadcast with experts Håkan Loob and Jonas Andersson. Marie Lehmann reported from Minnesota. The victory is morale-boosting ahead of the rest of the tournament.
