Sandin Pellikka has hat trick as Sweden starts world juniors with rout of Slovakia

By The Canadian Press on December 26, 2024.

Sweden forward Otto Stenberg (25) and teammate Rasmus Bergqvist (2) celebrate Axel Sandin-Pellikka's (4) hat-trick goal during third period IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship preliminary round action against Slovakia, in Ottawa, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

OTTAWA – Defenceman Axel Sandin Pellikka scored a natural hat trick as Sweden kicked off the 2025 world junior hockey championship with a 5-2 rout of Slovakia on Thursday.

Sandin Pellikka, a Detroit Red Wings prospect playing in hist third world juniors, added an assist for Sweden, which is looking for its first title since 2012.

Rasmus Bergqvist and Linus Eriksson had the other goals for Sweden.

Dalibor Dvorsky had a goal just under 12 minutes into the game to open the scoring for Slovakia, which was then held without a goal until Daniel Jencko scored on a power play with 85 seconds left in regulation.

Sweden plays Kazakhstan and Slovakia meets Switzerland on Friday.

In other games Thursday, the defending-champion United States faced Germany, Czechia played Switzerland and host Canada took on Finland.