Thanks to an early goal by Thea Johansson, Sweden’s win was never in doubt, and they cruised to a 5-0 win over Japan.

Wilma Sundin scored twice in her first game of the tournament, and three other players picked up their first points. Ebba Svensson Traff posted a xx-save shutout.

Japan still had one more chance to avoid playing in the relegation round. One last game in the preliminary round, there would never be another tonight. All they had to do was keep Sweden off the scoreboard for as long as possible and then capitalize on their own chances.

Sweden punctured Japan’s hopes almost immediately.

In the second shift of the game, and Thea Johansson’s first, Michelle Lowenhielm gained the zone and dropped the puck to Johansson, who stepped in and wired a rocket that hit the crossbar before finding the net. Time: 0:54. Mira Hallin also picked up an assist, her first point in the tournament.

Twelve minutes into the period, Josefin Bouveng carried the puck into Japan’s zone and dropped it to defender Maja Nylen Persson, who found her defensive partner Mira Jungaker at the back door. Nylen Persson’s pass was so perfect that Jungaker only needed to keep her stick on the ice for the puck to be redirected into the net at 12:15.

It was Jungaker’s first goal of the tournament, to go with seven assists. The assist was Nylen Persson’s first point in the tournament.

Three minutes later, Bouveng was setting up goals again. Lisa Johansson passed the puck to her down low, and she put it right on the tape of Ebba Hedqvist, who was driving to the net and slammed it in from the crease to make it 3-0 at 15:12. For Johansson, the assist was her first point in this Women’s World Championship.

The second period was more chaotic, but Sweden extended its lead at 6:11 when Tilde Grillfors sent a hard pass to the net, her back practically against the glass in the corner, and Sundin — playing in her first game of the tournament — got her blade on the puck and tipped it in for a 4-0 lead.

At 5:17 into the third period, Sundin scored her second of the game with a tight-angle shot that went in off a Japanese defender’s skate. Miyuu Masuhara skated out of the crease, and Rei Halloran took over the goaltending duties for Japan.

On Friday, Japan will play against Austria for a spot in the 2027 IIHF Women's World Championship. 

Sweden will travel to Esbjerg for their quarter-final against Switzerland.