THE OLYMPICS / WINTER GAMES AT ALBERTVILLE : Sweden Tunes Up for Team USA With a 2-2 Tie Against Finland

Sweden’s 2-2 tie with Finland on Saturday, gained when Thomas Rundqvist whipped a wrist shot past goaltender Jukka Tammi with 4:22 to play, sustained the top-seeded Swedes’ chances of finishing first in Group A of the Olympic hockey tournament.

But to win the group and draw a weak opponent in quarterfinals, they must defeat the United States, which Swedish assistant coach Curt Lundmark praised as “a very dangerous team for any team in the tournament.”

The teams will meet Monday at the Olympic Arena, less than two weeks after the United States defeated Sweden, 3-2, at Chamonix, France in a pre-Olympic exhibition.

A rematch with the Americans concerns Rundqvist, a sturdy and skillful center who played two games with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1984-85 season.

“They work very hard every game and have good goaltending,” he said. “It’s very difficult to meet them because every time, things go the way they want it.”

Finnish assistant coach Sakari Pietila, whose team has faced the Swedish and American squads, predicts the two will play a fast, exciting game.

“It will be different kinds of teams,” Pietila said. “Sweden has a lot of skill, and they want to control the puck. Team USA plays with high emotion and great speed and they want to hit. The USA is better in front of both nets. But if I have to pick, I pick Sweden. They’re going to win.”