Erik Karlsson with Team Sweden (Via Getty Images)

Erik Karlsson made clear Tuesday that Sweden arrived at Milano Cortina expecting to face hockey’s biggest powers. The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman got his wish after Sweden dominated Latvia 5-1 in the qualification playoff, setting up a Wednesday quarterfinal showdown with the United States.Karlsson emphasized Sweden’s readiness to face elite competition following their most complete performance of the tournament. Mika Zibanejad, William Nylander, and Gabriel Landeskog each recorded a goal and an assist, while Filip Forsberg and Adrian Kempe also scored in the rout.

Sweden showed perfect chemistry at the right moments to defeat Latvia

Sweden found its rhythm when it mattered most after an inconsistent preliminary round. The Swedes finished third in Group B despite having the same points as first-place Slovakia and second-place Finland, falling to seventh overall due to goal differential.Karlsson praised the team’s execution against Latvia, noting every player fulfilled their role in Sweden’s most cohesive effort. The chemistry that eluded them earlier in the tournament finally materialized when elimination loomed.Lucas Raymond orchestrated the offense with three assists, giving him seven helpers in four games. The Detroit Red Wings forward set a new Swedish record for most assists at a single Olympics with NHL players, surpassing Peter Forsberg’s mark of six from 2006.Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves for his second consecutive victory after serving as Filip Gustavsson’s backup during Sweden’s first two games. The Calgary Flames netminder has provided stability in goal, though coach Sam Hallam remained noncommittal about his starter for Wednesday.Sweden opened scoring when Kempe broke the nervous first 10 minutes with the tournament’s first goal. Landeskog added another 41 seconds later, relieving mounting pressure on the NHL-stacked roster facing potential elimination.Forsberg scored in the second period before Zibanejad and Nylander added insurance goals in the third. Eduards Tralmaks scored Latvia’s lone tally in the second period. Sweden’s difficult preliminary round created a brutal playoff path. They needed back-to-back victories over Latvia and the United States just to reach the semifinals, where Canada potentially awaits as the top seed. The Swedes struggled with consistency through group play, falling behind 1-0 to Italy before winning 5-2.They also lost 4-1 to rival Finland in their second game while allowing a late power-play goal against Slovakia that cost them a crucial goal differential. Wednesday’s quarterfinal represents the first time Sweden and the United States have met in Olympic elimination round play with NHL players. The Americans enter unbeaten after dominating Group C, while Sweden has won three of four games at Milano Cortina and finally looks like the gold medal contender many expected before the tournament began.