Sweden forward Lina Ljungblom (25) handles the puck in front of Germany goaltender Sandra Abstreiter (35) during third period IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship hockey action in Brampton, Ont., on Thursday, April 6, 2023. Ljungblom scored the winning goal as Sweden opened up the 2024 world women's hockey championship with a 3-1 win over Denmark on Wednesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
UTICA, N.Y. – Lina Ljungblom scored the winning goal as Sweden opened up the 2024 world women’s hockey championship with a 3-1 win over Denmark on Wednesday.
Ljungblom’s goal came late in the second period with Sweden on a power play. Sofie Lundin’s shot pass found an unmarked Ljungblom, whose shot beat Danish goaltender Emma-Sofie Nordstrom.
Lundin also set up Josefin Bouveng’s insurance goal in the third period.
Sweden’s Felizia Wikner-Zienkiewicz opened the scoring around the midway point of the second period.
Nicoline Jensen scored for Denmark with eight and a half minutes remaining.
Swedish goaltender Emma Soderberg faced just five shots.
Nordstrom made 36 saves for Denmark.
Later Wednesday, Finland faced Czechia and host and defending champion United States met Switzerland.
Canada plays its first game Thursday against Finland.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2024.
