A 2-1 Nordic derby win over Finland had kept Sweden perfect on home ice after three matches, but Canada's decidedly better goal difference had pushed the Tre Kronor to second in Group A.
With the Canadians not in action today, a point was all Sweden required to retake first place, and though they were made to wait, they took all three points in some style at Avicii Arena.
Latvia frustrated the host nation in the opening 20 minutes - despite three powerplays all for tripping calls, Sweden could not find a way through, only forcing Kristers Gudlevskis into eight saves.
The pattern continued up until the midpoint in the match, when the Swedes finally opened the scoring through Rasmus Andersson, who worked his way around the net and applied a tidy finish.
Like Stockholm buses, having waited ages for one goal, the second followed almost immediately. From the faceoff, Sweden attacked through Jonas Brodin and Alexander Wennberg, before the puck fell kindly to Anton Bengtsson, who was on hand to make it 2-0 12 seconds after the opener.
Hopes of a Latvian comeback were all but ended when Sweden made it 3-0 in the first minute of the third - Leo Carlsson laid the puck back perfectly for Lucas Raymond to steer home.
Eight minutes later, it was 4-0, with Carlsson again the provider - he and Jesper Froden set up Adam Larsson, who wound up a long-range strike which deflected past Gudlevskis.
Latvia's night got worse when a speculative Mika Zibanejad pass into the middle was thundered into his own net by Toms Andersons, before the rout was completed with just over a minute to play.
Finally using a powerplay to full effect, Sweden carved the tired Latvian defence apart and the smooth team move was finished off by Elias Lindholm to complete the 6-0 final score.
Sweden now lead Canada by three points atop Group A, but have played a game more than the North Americans, who take on Austria tomorrow. Sam Hallam's team face Slovenia next on Friday, though it already looks as if Sweden vs Canada on the final day of group fixtures will decide who finishes first.
Today's other match in Group A saw Slovakia pick up their second win of the World Championship, beating France 2-1 to move into third on seven points.
After a goalless first period, Slovakia broke the deadlock approaching the midpoint in the match when Martin Chromiak of the Los Angeles Kings scored his first goal of the tournament.
But France, as when they faced Finland at the weekend, were more than a match for their elite opponents, and found an equaliser five minutes later through Louis Boudon.
Slovakia finally got the job done in the third - on their third powerplay of the period, Mislav Rosandic won the game with just under 11 minutes to play. France stay seventh in the group on one point, earned in their overtime loss to Finland.
In Group B in Herning, Denmark, the USA narrowly avoided suffering perhaps the greatest collapse in World Championship history when they beat Norway 6-5 in overtime.
The US were cruising when Tage Thompson scored his second put them 5-1 ahead less than three minutes into the second period, only for Stian Solberg and Martin Ronnild to pull two goals back before the 40-minute mark.
In the third period, Noah Steen brought the Norwegians back within one, before Solberg made it 5-5, completing his hattrick with 87 seconds left on the clock.
However, the USA held their nerve, and when a holding call gave them a powerplay, Thompson became the game's second hattrick scorer to win it for the relieved Americans, who move up into second and onto eight points, missing the chance to draw level with Germany.
Norway stay seventh but now have a point on the board.
Finally tonight, Sweden's co-hosts Denmark are finally up and running in the World Championship, as they put three tough losses behind them to beat Kazakhstan 5-1.
Mikkel Aagaard settled plenty of nerves at Jyske Bank Boxen early in the second period, before Alexander True doubled the lead with a little under 33 minutes on the clock.
The Kazakhs pulled a goal back in the third period, courtesy of Nikita Mikhailis, but the Danes held their nerve and two quick goals from Christian Wejse and True put the contest to bed, before Nick Olesen completed the scoring with an empty-netter.
Denmark jump to fifth in the Group, though are four points shy of fourth-placed Czech Republic.