Raymond Shines as Sweden Advances to Quarterfinals

Milan, Italy – Lucas Raymond orchestrated Sweden’s offense, recording three assists in a dominant 5-1 victory over Latvia in the round of 16 at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. This win comes after a complex group stage where Sweden secured a spot in the playoff round following a 5-3 victory over Slovakia, a game also highlighted by Raymond’s strong performance.

Redemption After Slovakia Match

The victory over Latvia provided a strong response after a late penalty against Slovakia nearly cost Sweden a favorable position in the tournament. Raymond committed an unnecessary penalty with 39 seconds remaining in the game against Slovakia, allowing Dalibor Dvorsky to score a power-play goal and reduce Sweden’s lead to 5-3. Raymond expressed regret over the penalty, stating, “You don’t want to put the team in that situation.”

Dominant Performance Against Latvia

Against Latvia, Sweden showcased its offensive depth with five different players scoring goals. Raymond, playing alongside Gabriel Landeskog and Mika Zibanejad, was instrumental in creating scoring opportunities, contributing to a combined seven points for the line. Adrian Kempe, Filip Forsberg, and William Nylander also found the back of the net for Tre Kronor.

Team Effort and Depth

Captain Gabriel Landeskog emphasized the importance of contributions from all lines, stating, “Everybody needs to contribute, not necessarily in the scoring, but I thought everybody did a good job tonight of playing hard, doing those little details.” He highlighted the strong forechecking of the fourth line as a key factor in shifting momentum during the game.

Forsberg Capitalizes on Karlsson’s Pass

Filip Forsberg scored Sweden’s third goal off a precise pass from Erik Karlsson. Forsberg noted his familiarity with Karlsson’s passing ability, stating, “I’ve seen Erik hit those passes time and time again, so it was just a matter of staying in front when the pass came.”

Raymond’s Tournament Standing

With his three assists against Latvia, Lucas Raymond now ranks second in overall Olympic scoring, trailing only Connor McDavid of Canada. Raymond has accumulated eight points (one goal and seven assists) in four games, whereas McDavid leads with nine points (two goals and seven assists) in three games.

Quarterfinal Matchup Against the USA

Sweden will now face the United States in the quarterfinals. Raymond expressed confidence in the team’s preparation, stating, “We are here to play exactly that type of match.” Landeskog added, “This is when the fun begins,” while also stressing the importance of maintaining focus and preparing for a higher level of competition.

The quarterfinal match between Sweden and the USA will be played on Wednesday evening at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, with a puck drop scheduled for 21:10 (SVT 1, SVT Play).