Penguins’ Patric Hornqvist has hot hand at World Championships

Jonathan Bombulie | Monday, May 13, 2019 5:06 p.m.

Sweden’s William Nylander, left, Patric Hornqvist Alexander and Oliver Ekman Larsson, right, celebrate scoring during the Ice Hockey World Championships group B match between Norway and Sweden at the Ondrej Nepela Arena in Bratislava, Slovakia, Monday, May 13, 2019.

The scoring slump that plagued Pittsburgh Penguins winger Patric Hornqvist throughout much of the second half of the NHL season apparently hasn’t accompanied him to Slovakia for the IIHF World Championships.

With two goals in a 9-1 victory over Norway on Monday, Hornqvist has scored in each of Sweden’s first three games of the tournament. His total of five goals is tied for the tournament lead with 18-year-old Finnish sensation Kaapo Kakko.

William Nylander to Oliver Ekman-Larsson who shoots the puck as Patrick Hornqvist is in front of the net to re-direct it in giving Sweden a 2:0 lead. #IIHFWorlds #LetsGoPens #LeafsForever #OurPack pic.twitter.com/gQQ1pHEjct

— Aivis Kalniņš?? (@A_Kalnins) May 13, 2019

Hornqvist is skating on Sweden’s top line with Toronto’s William Nylander and Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson.

His goals have come against the Czech Republic, Italy and Norway – not exactly tournament favorites – but given the fact that he scored a total of six goals in his final 46 games in the regular season, he probably isn’t in position to turn up his nose at any offensive production.