Sweden’s captain throws silver medal into crowd after frustrating loss to Canada
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Lias Andersson was so frustrated with Sweden’s second-place finish at the world junior hockey championship that he threw his silver medal into the crowd.
Andersson had six goals and an assist at the tournament but was held off the scoresheet in Canada’s 3-1 win over Sweden on Friday in the world juniors finale. Even after a Swedish official got the medal back from a fan the team captain said to give it away.
“I don’t want it,” said Andersson. “The guy in the stands wanted it more than me, so I gave it to him. I’m just going to have it home in some box or whatever so he wanted it more than me.”
The fan, wearing a Rochester Americans jersey, put the medal around his neck and showed it off to his neighbours sitting near the Swedish bench at KeyBank Center, home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. The fan then removed the Rochester jersey to reveal a USA hockey jersey, and then under that, a Swedish jersey.