Team Sweden survived an early national embarrassment in their first game at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The medal favorites eked out a 5-2 victory over the host Team Italy, needing a game-winning tally from Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander to prevent a horrible start to the tournament.
Sweden initially fell behind 1-0 to the Italians, whose roster has zero players with NHL experience, and later saw their 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission turn into a 2-2 tie just 37 seconds into the second period.
Luca Frigo, born in Moncalieri, Italy, opened the game’s scoring just 4:14 into the first period. The 32-year-old forward, who plays for Bolzano HC in Austria, picked up a loose puck in the slot and buried it after Sweden’s goaltender, the Minnesota Wild’s Filip Gustavsson, fumbled it and lost his stick.
In doing so, Frigo became the first Italian player since Tony Iob, on February 21, 2006, against Switzerland, to score at the Olympics.
Sweden would respond with the only two other goals in the first period, via Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling. Italy’s netminder, Anaheim Ducks prospect Damian Clara, was under siege throughout regulation but made 25 saves in the first frame alone.
In the second period, former Hershey Bears winger Dustin Gazley set up Matt Bradley (no, not that one) to tie the game at two goals apiece. After a long spell with no scoring, Nylander then put the Swedes up for good, finishing off a brilliant effort from Buffalo Sabres defender Rasmus Dahlin.
Clara, who made 46 total saves, was forced out of the game in the third period after suffering an injury making a breakaway stop on Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson. The 21-year-old backstop has just two games of AHL experience from last season and is playing the 2025-26 campaign in Sweden for Brynäs IF, where he is 16-13 with a 2.49 goals-against average, a .888 save percentage, and two shutouts.
He was replaced by Davide Fadani, who gave up a goal to Mika Zibanejad with 4:18 left in regulation to seal Sweden’s win. Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman would later add an empty-net tally.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Sweden’s 60 shots set an Olympic record in the “NHL era.” Finland and Canada jointly held the previous record with 57 shots.
With the win, Sweden moves to the top of Group B as they have the same goal difference as Slovakia but scored one more goal. The Swedes play Finland next, while the host Italians take on Slovakia, both games coming on Friday.
