Switzerland wins Semi-final against the States and faces Sweden Sunday evening

18 May 2013 | Andreas Reiner

You could be rich by now if you had bet all of your money on the Swiss Team. Then again, who would have, after an 11th place at the 2012 World Hockey Championships.

Switzerland was the only team with a clean sheet going into the Semi-final where they faced the young American squad. Swiss Coach Sean Simpson surely did not have to hold any motivational speeches, the idea of playing in a WHC Final since 1935!! must have been motivation enough.

And that’s exactly how the Swiss started the game, forcing the US Boys into their own Zone and creating chances after chances by Martin Plüss, Nino Niederreiter and Julian Walker in the first period. USA was outshot 18:9 in the first period.

The second period was a reflection of the first, while the Americans were busy defending and trying to find their game, Switzerland powered on and were on the scoreboard first when Nino Niederreiter scored on a cross pass from Martin Plüss. Who thought that the Swiss would now go into Defense-Mode and hope to deny the Americans a goal was proven wrong. Although the US-Boys had one shot more in the second period the subjective feeling on the Ice felt differently. Switzerland was pressing harder, forechecking and getting the early puck possession.

The USA started the 3rd Period with a powerplay but were unable to even fire a shot on Goalie Reto Berra who played solid and with the necessary serenity. In the following minutes the Swiss had various chances to increase their lead but were not able to score on three powerplay situations in a row. But in the 11th minute Julian Walker had a break-away chance and hammered the puck top-shelf and left Gibson in the goal no chance. The minutes passed and the US seemed incapable of reacting to this second goal when in the 60th minute, Reto Suri scored the empty netter, sending the States to the game for 3rd place against Finland Sunday afternoon.

Walker's 2-0. Photo: Michal Eger

Compared to the past years, the Swiss finally managed to beat the “big” Teams, such as Sweden, Canada or the Czech Republic when it mattered. And when it was crunch time they proved that they could withstand a Czech Team that got stronger and stronger in the final minutes of the Quarter Final. They continued to play their solid game, avoiding too many individual mistakes and playing strong as a Team. Let’s hope this isn’t a “one-championship-wonder” but a start for a new generation of young and hungry players that have the guts and the confidence to beat any team at any time, Sochi 2014 isn’t too far away, by the way..