WJC Recap - 26.12.24

Flames prospect Axel Hurtig and Sweden opened up the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship with a 5-2 win over Slovakia.

Hurtig, who was selected by the Flames in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft, logged 12:37 of ice time and was even in the win. Thursday's game marked the defenceman's debut in the tournament. He previously has represented Sweden at U19 and U18 levels.

The 19-year-old is in the midst of his first season in North America, leading the Calgary Hitmen - and all WHL rookies - with an impressive +22 rating through 28 games. He's potted two goals and seven points and has put 28 shots on net during the first half of the year.

The Slovaks opened the scoring mid-way through the first period with a goal from Dalibor Dvorský but Sweden stormed back in the second period, scoring five goals through the final 40 minutes of the game.

Defenceman Rasmus Bergqvist opened the scoring for his country at the 3:41 mark, taking a feed from Swedish captain Axel Sandin Pellikka and snapping it underneath Slovak netminder Samuel Urban's glove. Sandin Pellikka then gave his country the lead at 17:43 and would add two more in the third period, completing the natural hat trick. Forward Linus Eriksson made it a 5-2 game at 15:29 of the tournament.

Slovakia added their second of the day with under two minutes left in regulation, with undrafted forward Daniel Jencko finding the back of the net at 18:35.

Hurtig and Sweden are back in action on Friday when they take on Kazakhstan at 3:00 p.m. MT (TSN) at TD Place in Ottawa.

Photo by Matt Zambonin/IIHF