Ice hockey-Norway stun Sweden after 15 years to boost playoff hopes at World Championship


Ice Hockey - IIHF World Championships - Group B - Norway v Sweden - BCF Arena, Fribourg, Switzerland - May 23, 2026 Norway's Eirik Salsten scores their third goal past Sweden's Arvid Soderblom REUTERS/David W Cerny

MONTREAL, May ⁠23 (Reuters) - Norway turned special-teams ⁠pressure into an unlikely victory ‌over Sweden on Saturday, scoring twice while short-handed to beat their Nordic ​rivals 3-2 and ⁠move closer to ⁠the playoff round at the IIHF ⁠Ice ‌Hockey World Championship.

Noah Steen scored two ⁠of Norway's goals, Eirik Salsten delivered ​the ‌winner midway through the third ⁠period ​and Henrik Haukeland made 32 saves as Norway held off ⁠a late Swedish push.

Sweden ​got goals from Ivar Stenberg, and Lucas Raymond failed to ⁠win due to missed chances and costly turnovers.

Before Saturday, Norway had beaten Sweden only ​once in 19 ⁠world championship meetings — in a ​shootout 15 years ‌ago in Bratislava.

(Reporting by ​Angelica Medina in Montreal; Editing by William Mallard)

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