Swedes Pour It On Against the Czechs

The price of immortality, at least for Peter Forsberg: 3.70 kronor, or about 45 cents.

That was the value of the postage stamp that depicted him scoring the golden goal in the 1994 Winter Olympic Games at Lillehammer, the defining moment in Sweden’s hockey history. Never has another hockey player graced a Swedish stamp.

Forsberg’s shootout goal secured what remains Sweden’s only gold medal. After 12 years -- and after Sweden’s 7-3 victory over the Czech Republic in Friday’s semifinals -- the second chance for gold is here.

“It feels great to have a chance to win the gold again,” he said. “It feels unbelievable.”

Forsberg assisted on Fredrik Modin’s goal 34 seconds into the game, and the Swedes scored four times in the second period, highlighting a brilliant offensive display that guaranteed Sweden its first medal of any color since 1994.

The Czechs might have lost this game last week, when goaltender Dominik Hasek suffered a groin injury in the opener.

Although Tomas Vokoun replaced Hasek as the No. 1 goaltender, Milan Hnilicka had beaten Slovakia in the quarterfinals and stopped 28 of 29 shots in the tournament, so Czech Coach Alois Hadamczik gambled on Hnilicka again.

The Swedes routed him for five goals on 20 shots, and Hadamczik yanked him midway through the second period -- waiting so long, he said, because the defense was so poor.

“None of us were on the Swedes,” Czech defenseman Tomas Kaberle said. “Everybody was looking at them.”

It was a show worth watching. Sweden skated and passed with precision and flair, using the wide Olympic rink to its advantage.

“Sometimes you create all those chances and you can’t score,” defenseman Christian Backman said. “Today, we scored on almost everything.”

The Swedes scored seven goals against a Czech team that had neither scored nor given up more than four in any other game here.

In their six previous games, the Swedes scored seven goals once and six twice, with a style that offers a refreshing antidote to NHL play.

“Guys on our team really like playing with the puck, not without it,” defenseman Niklas Kronvall said. “We try to bring the puck back and skate again rather than just give it away.”

On the day Forsberg’s golden shot made him a national hero, Backman was 13.

“I just remember watching it on TV,” Backman said. “I haven’t really ever asked him about it. He’s got some great memories, for sure.”