The 2009 IHWC bronze medal game featured two teams that were determined to end their medal draught .

Tonight we saw two teams that each lost their semi-final game and their chance to win a gold medal. Both teams seemed absolutely set on winning the consolation price and come home with a bronze medal. Sweden hasn't won any medals since 2006 and USA's medal draught has lasted for 5 years.

In a first period that was riddled with penalties for both teams USA started at full speed and fired 16 shots at Stefan Liv, who was defending the Swedish net. Not one shot found it's way past Liv's pads though, and the first period ended 0-0, like in so many of the other playoff games in this tournament.

In the second period Jack Johnson scored the first goal for USA on a powerplay. After that the game was wide open with no team really getting the edge on the other. Loui Eriksson scored an equalizer on the next powerplay, and then unlucky Ron Hainsey sent the puck clean over the boards while USA was already one man down. Playing 5-on-3 opened up the offensive zone for the Swedes, and Tony Mårtensson gave Sweden the lead with five minutes to go of the second period.

Early in the third period Joe Pavelski made a great solo act as he picked up the puck and run across the ice towards Stefan Liv and placed the puck cleanly in the net giving USA their much wanted equalizer. But this night the Swedish power play lines worked their magic, and on the next US penalty Sweden scored the winning goal when Carl Gunnarsson fired away from the blue line. Robert Esche left the US goal empty with a minute to go but in the end Johnny Oduya scored the last goal of the match in the empty net with just a second to go.

Sweden - USA 4-2 (0-0, 2-1, 2-1)
10 May 2009, Postfinance Arena, Berne, Attt: 11,249
0-1 25:14 Jack Johnson 5 (Liles)
1-1 33:24 Loui Eriksson (Mårtensson, Weinhandl) PP1
2-1 35:57 Tony Mårtensson 1 (Weinhandl, Eriksson) PP2
2-2 42:15 Joe Pavelski 1
3-2 49:00 Carl Gunnarsson 2 (Weinhandl) PP1
4-2 59:59 Johnny Oduya 3 (Jönsson) EN
SWE 8x2, USA 11x2, SOG 28:39 (9:16, 14:11, 5:12)
Best players: SWE: Stefan Liv, USA: Ryan Suter

SWE (2): Liv (2); Oduya, Tärnström (2), Huselius, Nilson, Wallin - M. Johansson, Gunnarsson, Mårtensson, Eriksson, Weinhandl (4) - K. Jönsson (2), Strålman (4), Thörnberg, Omark (2), Harju - Grossman, Åkerman, Berglund, J. Andersson, N. Persson.
USA: Esche; Hainsey (2), Suter (4), Okposo, Backes (4), Oshie - Johnson (6), Liles, Pavelski, Higgins, Shannon - Ballard, Niskanen (2), Blake, O'Sullivan, Brown (2) - Bagosian, Foligno, Stafford (2), Stempiak, Wilson.
Refs: R. Kadyrov (RUS) & B. Reiber (SUI)
Linesmen: A. Kicha (UKR) / A. Orelma (FIN)