BRATISLAVA, May 12 -- A stunning six-goal third period helped Sweden smash Italy 8-0 in a Group B match at the ice hockey world championship in Slovakia.
Sweden's second title defense in a row is back on track after the win on Sunday, with Anton Lander landing a hat trick and Patric Hornqvist scoring twice.
After losing their championship opener 2-5 to the Czech Republic, Sweden put themselves back into a winning mood. Lander opened the scoring in the first period and Hornqvist added another goal in the second, but the floodgates really opened in the third when the Scandinavians scored a wild six goals.
Lander scored two of those six to complete his hat trick, one of them shorthanded, and Hornqvist added his second. Italy was outshot 58-13 and remains the only team without a scored goal at the world championship, conceding a whopping 17 goals in just two games.
Sweden will face Norway in the Scandinavian derby on Monday and Italy will fight for their first points and their first tournament goal against Latvia on Tuesday.