Later in the second period, Willander capitalized again with Sweden back on the power play. He took advantage of the space afforded to him by a collapsed Swiss defence and fired a shot that deflected off a stick and into the top corner of the net.

As if two goals weren’t enough, Willander added an assist late in the second frame. With the Swedes pressing, he executed a crisp one-touch pass to Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who unleashed a shot that eventually led to a rebound goal by 2025 draft-eligible Victor Eklund.

If you can believe it, this goal would stand as the game-winner.

Despite Sweden’s commanding 6-1 lead through two periods, the game took an unexpected turn in the third.

A series of penalties allowed Switzerland to mount a spirited comeback, scoring four goals to make things interesting. Willander was on the ice for two of those goals, an unfortunate blemish in an otherwise stellar outing.

Sweden’s penalty issues aside, Willander’s three-point performance put an exclamation mark on what has been a very steady tournament. He finished the game with 18:01 minutes of ice time, four shots on goal, and a plus-2 rating.

Willander now has points in all three games, bringing his total to five (2G, 3A), which places him third (tied) among all defencemen in tournament scoring. He’s one of just two defenders to have scored two goals or more, along with his teammate Axel Sandin-Pelikka, who has four in the tournament.

They wrap up their preliminary slate on Tuesday (2:00 p.m.) when they take on the undefeated Czechs for the top spot in Group B.

Sansonnens steady in Swiss effort

On the other side of the ice, Basile Sansonnens represented Switzerland as he continued to anchor their third pairing. While he wasn’t overly involved in the offence or made any significant plays, Sansonnens enjoyed a solid defensive game, focusing on his shutdown role against a highly skilled Swedish attack.

He did enjoy a tournament-high 16:44 minutes of ice time, firing his first two shots on net while going a minus-1 in the match. Despite being caught deep in the corner on one of Sweden’s goals, leaving his check uncontested, it was one of his more active and effective games thus far.

Sansonnens’ quiet but effective play has been a theme throughout the tournament. He’s shown strong growth in his game since being drafted in the seventh round back in June.

With Switzerland set to face Kazakhstan on Tuesday, they will aim to secure their first win and avoid the bottom of Group B.

Mynio makes World Junior debut for Canada

The final game of the day featured Team Canada taking on Germany. For Canucks’ prospect Sawyer Mynio, it was a momentous occasion as he made his World Junior debut, stepping into the lineup following the unfortunate injury to Matthew Schaefer (broken collarbone).

Mynio skated on Canada’s third defensive pairing and saw limited ice time, playing just 11:56. However, he made the most of his opportunities, delivering a solid and composed performance marked by several crisp outlets.

His most notable contribution came late in the third period when Canada was clinging to a one-goal lead. Mynio made the D-to-D pass to Caden Price, whose shot from the point bounced off the end boards and deflected off the German goalie’s skate for a crucial insurance goal.

The assist marked Mynio’s first point of the tournament in his debut. He finished the game with one shot on goal and a plus-1 rating.

As Canada prepares for their highly anticipated New Year’s Eve showdown against the United States, Mynio will aim to build on his debut performance and prove his value to the team as they look to secure first place in Group A.