Sweden pulls away from Germany in 3rd period to take women's hockey worlds opener

The Associated Press

· Posted: Apr 09, 2025 10:17 AM EDT | Last Updated: 33 minutes ago

Sweden defeated Germany 5-2 to unfastened the women's hockey satellite title connected Wednesday successful the Czech Republic.

Hanna Thuvik scored the archetypal extremity of the tourney 10:34 into the opening play for Sweden. Mira Hallin doubled the pb midway done the 2nd successful a Group B game.

Luisa Welcke reduced the German shortage to 2-1 successful the 2nd play earlier Anna Kjellbin and Thea Johansson some scored successful the 3rd for Sweden.

Emily Nix netted successful the 3rd for Germany connected a powerfulness play with Hanna Olsson finishing disconnected the five-goal Swedish tally by scoring into an bare net.

Later Wednesday, the United States faces Finland successful a Group A lucifer betwixt past year's runner-up and the bronze medalist. The big Czech Republic -- bronze medalists doubly successful the past 3 tournaments -- plays Switzerland besides successful Group A.

The U.S. and defending champion Canada are the tourney favourites, continuing a long-standing cross-border rivalry. Canada has won 13 satellite titles followed by the U.S. with 10 spanning the erstwhile 23 championships.

Finland is the lone different squad isolated from Canada and the U.S. to scope the final, doing truthful successful 2019.

Canada opens its rubric defence against Finland connected Thursday astatine 1 p.m. ET.

The 12-day, 10-nation tourney successful the confederate Czech metropolis of Ceske Budejovice represents the last large planetary tune-up earlier the 2026 Winter Games successful Italy.

The teams are divided into 2 groups for a preliminary round. All 5 teams from Group A and the apical 3 from Group B suffice for the playoffs.

The bottommost 2 from Group B, which besides features Japan, Norway and Hungary, are relegated.