Here are three keys to the game:
1. Handling the U.S. physicality
The fact that the U.S. can play pressure free Monday because it's already in the championship game won't affect the style it plays and gameplan it uses, coach Mike Sullivan said. That means expect the United States to come out hitting again, to try to exert their physical will on Sweden in the way it did against Canada, when it had 17 hits in the first period and finished with 34, led by Brady Tkachuk's six and Charlie McAvoy's five.
Sweden is prepared for it, but it must be able to handle the aggressiveness, especially when going back for pucks.
"If you look at physicality on their forecheck, I think our defensemen are pretty used to it and should handle it," Hallam said. "I totally respect the game the U.S. is playing. They've been the best team in the tournament so far, but they're also playing some really good D-men that can't handle that. I think we showed that against Canada too when they came out hard. We respect the U.S., but we want to play it our way."
2. Playing in structure
The Swedes felt they deviated from their structure at times against Finland on Saturday, resulting in chances going the other way, like Anton Lundell's 2-on-1 goal that made it 1-1 at 10:58 of the first period.
Staying tighter together should be a focus against the Americans.
"When we were smarter with our forecheck, with our third forward coming back, I thought they didn't have much," Sweden forward Mika Zibanejad said after the Finland game. "But the chances that they got, we were a little bit too aggressive, especially outside the dots and left a little bit too much room for them to counter and go the other way."
Sweden also needs to be smarter with the puck. It was against Canada, a big reason it was able to push and come back from down 3-1 to force overtime, but defenseman Erik Karlsson said the Swedes weren't as effective and smart with the puck against Finland.
That too must improve against the U.S.
"I think we've got to be a little bit more straight lines and realize when we have speed and when we have control of the puck and when we don't, what area of the ice you are," Karlsson said. "If we can sort that out a little bit more and maybe play behind them a little bit more and retrieve some more pucks and stuff like that … I think we were just overall a little bit soft at the wrong times."
3. U.S. focus must remain sharp
Sullivan said he sent a clear message to his team about what the expectations are against Sweden even though for all intents and purposes the game doesn't mean anything for them in the standings.
"The message was that we've got to reinvest and be ready to play," Sullivan said. "We want to continue to get better every day. We want to continue to build our game and our identity, and this is an opportunity for us to do so. Every time you step on the ice it means something and that's how we're going to approach it."
Said defenseman Noah Hanifin: "You're still representing your country. No matter what the situation in the tournament is, you want to play for USA Hockey, you want to play for your country, and you want to win. We'll be ready to go for sure."
