MILAN — At 19, Hilda Svensson wasn\u2019t born the last time Sweden\u2019s women\u2019s hockey team medaled at the Olympics.<\/p>\n
The Ohio State freshman and a collection of young and brashly confident teammates are eager to rectify what\u2019s been a 20-year drought at the Milan Cortina Games.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we have a good chance,\u201d Svensson said after setting up two goals in a 4-0 win over France on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we have one of the best teams now since then. And we have a really good energy,\u201d she added. \u201cEveryone on this team wants to take that medal. And I think everyone\u2019s going to work very hard for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
One step at a time.<\/p>\n
Improving to 3-0, Sweden earned a berth in the quarterfinal round and is one win \u2014 or a loss by Japan (1-1) \u2014 from clinching Group B.<\/p>\n
The next challenge is more daunting, with Sweden having to win two more games to medal in a tournament in which the U.S. entered as favorites, followed by defending Olympic champion Canada, Finland and Czechia.<\/p>\n
Difficult as the road ahead appears, Svensson\u2019s outlook reflects a transformational shift in the program\u2019s trajectory. The core of Sweden\u2019s roster is made up of players who won silver at the 2018 U-18 championships.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like how they\u2019re not afraid to lose,\u201d 31-year-old captain Anna Kjellbin said of the youngsters. \u201cThey just see possibilities to win all the time. And I think that\u2019s one of the strengths of that generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sweden\u2019s roster features eight players 22 and younger, with seven currently competing at U.S. colleges. They include Svensson, who is tied for seventh in the nation with 44 points (15 goals, 29 assists) in 26 games.<\/p>\n
Against France, Minnesota-Duluth senior forward Thea Johansson scored her Olympic tournament-leading fourth goal. Also scoring were Sara Hjalmarsson, Hanna Thuvik and Lisa Johansson. Emma Soderberg stopped 14 shots for her first Olympic shutout in six games.<\/p>\n
France dropped to 0-3 in its Olympic debut, and is in jeopardy of not qualifying for the quarterfinals. Only the top three of five Group B nations advance. Alice Philbert had 45 saves in a game the Swedes outshot France 49-14.<\/p>\n
Sweden has so far played to its high expectations by outscoring opponents by a combined margin of 14-1. The team has finished no better than seventh at the past two Olympics after finishing fourth at the 2014 Sochi Games.<\/p>\n
The drop-off has been dramatic for the only nation other than Canada and the U.S. to win an Olympic silver medal. The Swedes did so at the 2006 Turin Games by upsetting the Americans in the semifinals. Sweden also won bronze in 2002.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe time for us is now,\u201d coach Ulf Lundberg declared before the tournament opened. He based that on what he called a \u201cwe don\u2019t care\u201d attitude his players have adopted.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have those youngsters coming in and they\u2019re not afraid of anything. I love it,” Lundberg said. \u201cWe want to be more like the Canadians and the Americans that feel that we are best, because then you have the grace and the swag.”<\/p>\n
Lundberg has been part of the transformation. He took over the women\u2019s team after playing a role in developing several Swedish men\u2019s stars, including Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft.<\/p>\n
Encouraged as he is, Lundberg is not looking beyond Sweden closing its preliminary round schedule against Japan on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not looking or listening to media talking about maybe semifinal, maybe medal, maybe 2006 again,\u201d Lundberg said. \u201cSlow down. Here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tereza Pistekova and Natalie Mlynkova scored, Klara Peslarova stopped 25 shots and Czechia defeated Finland 2-0 in what could serve as a preview of the tournament’s bronze-medal matchup. <\/p>\n
Anni Kiesala stopped 22 shots for Finland, which has been blanked twice in two outings following a 5-0 loss to the Americans a day earlier<\/a>. Czechia is 1-2.<\/p>\n It was the nations’ first meeting in Olympic play, though they’ve developed a fierce rivalry at the world championships. The teams have won two bronze medals apiece over the past four world tournaments, with Finland winning the past two \u2014 both decided after regulation. <\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n