Switzerland secures quarter-final spot with commanding win over Kazakhstan

01 Jan 2025Henrik Lundqvist»

Switzerland clinched their first win of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, overcoming Kazakhstan 3-1 at TD Place Arena in Ottawa. The victory propelled the Swiss to the quarter-finals, leaving Kazakhstan to face Germany in a crucial relegation game.

Kazakhstan - Switzerland 1-3

Switzerland dominated the ice with a stellar two-way performance, outshooting Kazakhstan 35-12. Their power play shone, delivering two critical goals. Despite the loss, Kazakhstan put up a spirited fight, but their defensive struggles and lack of discipline ultimately proved costly.

Simon Meier opened the scoring on a power play just 1:41 into the game, capitalizing on crisp puck movement and a screen by Rico Gredig.

At 6:10, Kirill Lyapunov dazzled with a solo effort, weaving past Ludvig Johnson and firing a top-shelf beauty for his third goal of the tournament.

Late in the second period, Robin Nico Antenen reclaimed the lead for Switzerland with a sharp-angle shot at 37:18.

Ludvig Johnson sealed the win with a third-period power-play blast at 48:59, assisted by Meier and Eric Schneller.

Switzerland now faces a daunting quarter-final matchup against either the defending champions, the U.S., or host Canada. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan prepares for a high-stakes relegation battle against Germany, with survival in the top division on the line.