OLYMPICS: Ice hockey-Sweden beat Latvia to set men's quarterfinals meeting with US

MILAN – Sweden dominated Latvia 5-1 on Tuesday to secure a spot in the men’s Olympic ice hockey quarter-finals, setting up a high-stakes clash with fellow powerhouse the United States.

Forward Adrian Kempe and captain Gabriel Landeskog scored within the first minute of play, giving Sweden an early edge. Filip Forsberg added a second-period goal, while Mika Zibanejad and William Nylander completed the scoring in the third. Detroit Red Wings winger Lucas Raymond recorded three assists, helping Landeskog’s goal and both third-period tallies.

Sweden’s journey to the quarter-finals was not straightforward. After finishing a surprising third in Group B, they had to go through the qualification play-offs, missing out on one of the four automatic spots and the accompanying day off.

At Santagiulia Area, Sweden quickly found their rhythm. A shot from Joel Eriksson Ek deflected off Kempe’s skate, and Landeskog swiped the puck in just 41 seconds later, setting the tone for the game. Forsberg extended the lead midway through the second period after a precise pass from alternate captain Erik Karlsson.

Latvia’s Eduards Tralmaks pulled one back with his third goal of the Games, but Sweden responded decisively. Zibanejad scored six minutes into the final period, and Nylander added the final goal, beautifully maneuvering the puck past Latvian goalie Elvis Merzlikins.

Sweden now faces the United States on Wednesday in a quarter-final showdown that promises to be a heavyweight battle between two pre-tournament favorites. -Reporting by Amy Tennery in MilanEditing by Bill Berkrot/Reuters