The Swiss avenge last year’s quarter-final defeat to the Germans and will play for medals at the World Championships

Just like three years ago in Riga, this year the quarter-finals of the World Championship were played in Ostrava between Switzerland and Germany. The representatives of the country of the Helvetic Cross lost both previous times, but this time they succeeded on Thursday afternoon. They advanced to the medal round with a 3-1 victory.

The Swiss played a power play right at the start of the game thanks to a foul by Wissmann, but did not take advantage of it. In the eighth minute, when Ambühl was in the penalty box, they scored shorthanded. Christoph Bertschy dribbled down the right side and shot just over the shoulder of goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer.

A minute later, Thürkauf came close to quickly increasing the Swiss lead when he hit the post. The score was changed to 2:0 in the 17th minute when Nico Hischier finished the attack in the attacking zone with a shot from a sharp angle into a half-covered net.

The first period ended and the second period started with a power play after Szuber illegally kicked the puck out of the net. However, the Germans fought back, even after Wagner’s 24th-minute exclusion.

In the 32nd, on the other hand, coach Harold Kreis’ team needed only four seconds to capitalize on its power play. Immediately after the face-off, the puck went to Dominik Kahun, who beat Leonardo Genoni with a sharp shot to reduce the German deficit.

However, despite the strong pressure, our western neighbours did not convert the next power play into an equaliser. The goal scorer Kahun then hit the bar two minutes before the break. The Swiss team entered the third period one player shorter because Senteler did not forgive himself for a shot after the siren and after the ensuing scuffle he received a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

But the Swiss defended their narrow 2:1 lead at the beginning of the period and did not let their opponent outplay them. Still, they were rather defensive as the end approached and didn’t get much longer stays in the attacking territory.

The Germans took a time out at the end and recalled their goalkeeper. However, with one minute left in regulation time, Bertschy sent the puck into the empty net from the middle zone and scored his second goal of the game to make it 3:1.

Switzerland advanced to the semifinals of the World Championship for the first time since 2018, when it lost to Sweden in the final. Unlike in last year’s tournament, Germany failed to win and will not defend their silver.

Source: IIHF, CT Sport Plus