Jacob Markstrom is thrilled to be tending goal for Sweden at the Olympics. He is not ready to go home just yet.

“I waited 36 years to get my first one, and it’s a great feeling but you don’t want it to end,” Markstrom said.

Markstrom made 20 saves, Adrian Kempe and Gabriel Landeskog scored in the first period and Sweden avoided the earliest possible exit by defeating Latvia, 5-1, in the qualification round Tuesday. The U.S. awaits in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

“It’s a fun challenge,” defenseman Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh Penguins) said. “That’s why we came here: to play these guys. I know everybody, including ourselves, it’s probably a little bit earlier than we expected it to be, but it is what it is.”

With all the pressure on — and the possibility looming of being on the NHL player-filled first plane back to North America — the Swedes endured a nervous first 10 minutes before Kempe got them on the board. Landeskog scored 41 seconds later to relieve some of the tension.

Filip Forsberg scored in the second, and Mika Zibanejad and William Nylander added insurance goals in the third.

Meanwhile, Czechia players almost seemed more relieved than anything after holding on to beat Denmark, 3-2.

“Joy and relief,” winger Ondrej Palat said. “A big game for us. We won. We’re happy.”

Czechia gets a second shot at the tournament favorite after losing to Canada, 5-0, last week in each team’s opener. Committing four penalties against Denmark is not a promising recipe for the Czechs if they’d like to shock the world against top-seeded Canada.

“It’s a huge challenge for us,” said captain Roman Cervenka, who scored 69 seconds after David Kampf’s goal on what turned out to be the game-winner. “If we want to have a chance, we have to play much better than (against Denmark). Everybody has to play to their max. But we try. I believe the chances always.”

Germany’s Leon Draisaitl and JJ Peterka scored in a three-goal first period to power a 5-1 victory over France and set up a quarterfinal game against Slovakia.

Switzerland advanced by beating Italy, 3-0, outshooting the host country 51-20.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists. Philipp Kurashev and Roman Josi had the other Swiss goals. Switzerland next faces Finland.

‘Blade Angels’ sputter

Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto upstaged Alysa Liu and the rest of the “Blade Angels” from the U.S. to take the lead after the short program in the women’s figure skating competition.

Nakai rode her opening triple axel to a career-best 78.71 points, and Sakamoto was right behind with 77.23 as she chases just about the only gold medal she has yet to win. Liu was third with 76.59, keeping her within range of the top step of the podium.

Things didn’t go quite so well for the rest of the American team.

Isabeau Levito lost a level on her step sequence and wound up eighth with 70.84 points, and three-time reigning U.S. champ Amber Glenn likely had her medal hopes dashed when she doubled up a triple loop, making the jump invalid and worth no points.

Germany sweep in 2-man sled

Germany swept the medals in the two-man bobsled race in a show of dominance. It was the second Olympic sweep in bobsled history. The other was by the Germans, also in two-man, at the Beijing Games four years ago.

And leading the way was Johannes Lochner, who got his first gold medal while posting the biggest Olympic two-man winning margin in nearly a half-century. The U.S. was the closest to thwarting the sweep; Frank Del Duca and Josh Williamson were fourth.

Italian top speedskating pursuit

Italy’s Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti beat U.S. world record-holders Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Ethan Cepuran by 4 1/2 seconds to win the men’s team pursuit gold medal in speedskating.

The United States started the final well and led for the early stages. But the Italians charged ahead over the closing laps, extending their advantage. When it ended, Ghiotto, Giovannini and Malfatti raised their arms and pumped their fists.

Canada collected its second consecutive Winter Games title in women’s team pursuit when Ivanie Blondin, Valerie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann — the same athletes who won gold four years ago in Beijing — finished in 2:55.81, nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Netherlands.

France surges in biathlon

France went from last place on the first leg to being first on the final lap to secure the country’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s biathlon relay.

World Cup champion Eric Perrot, skiing the final leg for France, missed two shots in his last standing shooting bout and was only 7 seconds ahead of Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen as they headed out to ski tracks packed with fresh snow.

Perrot stayed ahead of Christiansen and took his team of Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet across the line first, in a time of one hour, 19 minutes and 55.2 seconds.

Oftebro earns 2nd gold

Norway’s Jens Luraas Oftebro won his second Nordic combined gold medal in a week, taking the large hill ski jump and 10-kilometer ski race. Johannes Lamparter of Austria earned his second silver in Italy, and Ilkka Herola of Finland took bronze.

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