02/10/26 12:23:00
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02/10 12:21 CST Svensson Traff stops 20 shots as Sweden beats Japan and sweeps
Olympic women's hockey group
Svensson Traff stops 20 shots as Sweden beats Japan and sweeps Olympic women's
hockey group
By JOHN WAWROW
AP Hockey Writer
MILAN (AP) --- Ebba Svensson Traff stopped 20 shots to post her first Olympic
shutout and Group B champion Sweden completed its four-game preliminary round
sweep with a 4-0 win over Japan at the Milan Cortina Games on Tuesday.
Josefin Bouveng had a goal and assist, and Hanna Thuvik, Mira Hallin and Hanna
Olsson also scored. Sweden outscored its opponents by a combined 18-2, and will
play Group A's third seed in the quarterfinals, which will be played on Friday
and Saturday.
The eight-team bracket is set, but the matchups have yet to be determined.
First place in Group A is on the line later in the day when defending Olympic
champion Canada plays the United States. Finland plays Switzerland in another
Group A game.
Sweden forward Hilda Svensson did not return after falling awkwardly into the
boards five minutes into the game. The severity of her injury was not
immediately known.
At 19, Svensson is part of Sweden's young core, featuring eight players 22 and
younger. She has four assists through four games. As a freshman at Ohio State,
Svensson is tied for seventh in the NCAA with 44 points (15 goals, 29 assists)
in 26 games.
Japan finished 1-3, with it's only victory coming against France, which
finished the tournament 0-3-1. The ninth-place finish is the lowest for Japan
in its five Olympic appearances, and after the nation finished sixth at the
2022 Beijing Games.
Germany beats Italy 2-1
Laura Kluge's breakaway goal with 1:29 left in regulation secured Germany's 2-1
win over Italy and second place in the Group B standings. Emily Nix also scored
for Germany.
Justine Reyes scored for Italy, which will be the group's third and final seed
and play the Group A winner in the quarterfinals. Italy advanced for the first
time in two Olympic appearances --- both as the host team.
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AP Olympic coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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