STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden ended a 27-year jinx on home teams winning the ice hockey world championships, beating Switzerland 5-1 on Sunday for its ninth title.
Vancouver Canucks star Henrik Sedin had two goals and an assist, and Buffalo Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves in front of a jubilant crowd to help Sweden become the first team to win the title on home ice since the Soviet Union in 1986.
Switzerland earned its first medal in 60 years and its first silver at the tournament.
Simon Hjalmarrson, Philadelphia's Erik Gustafsson and Dallas' Loui Eriksson also scored for Sweden. Romas Josi had the lone goal for Switzerland.
The young Swiss team came out aggressively, scoring in the fifth minute of the first period after Josi skated in from the blue line and backhanded the puck past Enroth.
But Sweden then took over, scoring twice in the first period and using the edge to dominate the game.
"We were slow out of the gates," Swedish defenseman Henrik Tallinder said. "But after the second goal I felt we had control over the game. The Swiss haven't had many times they've been down ... so we could play their game against them."
Switzerland won nine consecutive games before the final, allowing 11 goals before the drubbing by Sweden.
"Right up until the end I thought it was a lot closer than it was," Swiss forward Ryan Gardner said. (The) score's not indicative of how hard we've worked."
Switzerland's last medal at the worlds was a bronze in 1953, and that was only after the Czechoslovakian team left the tournament to mourn the death of its president.
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