Olympic Games: Sweden vs Switzerland, Women’s Group Match

In this last match in Group B both teams had qualified for the quarterfinals before the first puck was dropped. However, much was at stake for whoever won this match would win the group and face the fourth-place team, probably OA Russia. The loser will play the third-place team in Group A, probably Finland who have be stronger than the Russians so far in the tournament. This was also a match which set several teammates in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL) against each other. That’s because the SDHL’s top scorer, Lara Stalder, and the league’s top goalkeeper, Florence Schelling are both Swiss and were facing some of their Linköping teammates including Swedish captain and defender Emelia Ramboldt.

Whilst Sweden started the match better, the longer the first period went the more Switzerland began to take over. Fortunately for the Swedes, the worst that had happened by the end of the period was that they had given up two penalties to their opposition. The Swedes looked resolute in defence, especially Brynäs’ goalkeeper Sara Grahn, who was an impenetrable wall at the back for the Nordic team.

The second period continued in the same vein and Sweden’s slow-paced attack but aggressive defence matched against Switzerland’s effective defence but lightning fast attacks. It was only a matter of time before the more attack-minded Swiss were the first to ring the siren. That came on a powerplay when ZSC Lions’ striker Alina Muller found the net with just over six minutes to go in the period. First blood, Switzerland.

It took until the third period and a powerplay of their own for the Swedes to put some points on the board. But it was worth the wait, when another Brynäs player, forward Anna Borgqvist, skilfully flicked the puck past Schelling on a shot hammered in from the face off area by Hanna Olsson of Djurgården IF.

That goal led to a few minutes where for the first time in the game Sweden let their attacking instincts take over. Then just as things appeared to be turning their way, a tripping penalty took them back to the penalty kill. In a match that was as tight it would be the first team to take advantage of the other’s mistake that would win it. That landed to Swiss forward Phobe Staenz of Stockholm club, SDE. She received a pass and found just enough room by the blue paint to turn the puck past the Swedish keeper with 8:32 to go.

That was enough for the Swiss to win 2-1 and on this performance Bronze medallists from Sochi look the most likely of the European teams in group B to repeat that performance in Korea.

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