Henrik Lundqvist might still have a touch of the flu, but he made Finland taking a sick leave from the World Cup.
With a 36-save shutout Tuesday afternoon, nursing a 1-0 lead until Loui Eriksson’s empty netter, it was a strong message to NHL foes this season as much surviving tournament teams as he lifted Sweden to a record of 2-0 and eliminated the winless Finns.
“You never know where it’s going to go when you’re not healthy,” said Lundqvist, who had given way to Jacob Markstrom in the opening win over Russia. “You never know how long it’s going to be until you’re ready to play.