Another bitter defeat for Switzerland

It's a harsh World Championship for the Swiss. After the shootout win by Kazakhstan yesterday afternoon, today the "Nati" was ready to come back on ice for a revenge. Their opponents, Norway, were considered by Swiss media and commentators as a weak and easy-to-defeat team, whose only threat was posed by Mats Zuccarello of the New York Rangers. It was, anyways, unfortunately more than that.

Since the very beginning of the game Norway displayed an effective offensive game, together with speed and adapting skills. Still, Samuel Walser managed to score the first goal for the Confederates, assisted by Weber and Martschini. The equaliser came shortly after, again on powerplay, with a curious teamwork by brothers Ken André and Mathis Olimb (helped by Mats Zuccarello). A two-minute suspension to Bastiansen and Ambuhl (rough play) closed the starting period.

Bastiansen and Ambühl. Photo: Michal Eger

The first goal in equal strength came into the second period, with Norway dominating the whole ice surface. Martin Roymark's effort is then replied by another effort by the Olimb brothers, coming to a temporary 3-1 for the Scandinavians.

Simon Moser, assisted by "El Nino" Niederreiter and Raphael Diaz, was able to shorten the distance in the final period, while the empty net left by goalie Robert Meyer enabled the Swiss to augment the number of attacking players on the ice: Felicien du Bois signed, then, the goal which enabled the Swiss to force an overtime... But the hopes of earning an ultimate victory disappeared after that a penalty inflicted to Weber for high sticking caused the final Norwegian goal, made by Andreas Martinsen. Now things will get complicated for Switzerland, and Patrick Fischer's position on their bench looks very fragile...

Andreas Martinsen score the last goal. Photo: Michal Eger

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