The preliminary round of the Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland has been played. Now it's time for the knockout games. We'll keep you up to date in our ticker.
The semi-finals at a glance
The ticker for the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship:
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Norway wins its first World Championship medal
In the preliminary round, the Norwegians lost to Canada in overtime and finished second in their group behind the record-breaking world champions. Now they got their revenge and won their first ever medal in World Championship history.
Although they squandered a 2-0 lead in the final 76 seconds of regulation time, Noah Steen scored his seventh goal of the tournament after three and a half minutes of extra time to deliver the lucky punch.
The Norwegians took the lead in the 8th minute; Emilio Pettersen benefited from a goalkeeping error when Jet Greaves lost the puck behind his own goal. In the middle third, Stian Solberg increased the lead to 2:0 with a deflected shot (33'). The Canadians then rebelled once more. Robert Thomas scored a brace - the 2:2 was scored seven seconds before the end of regulation time.
Haukeland outstanding
The success of the playfully inferior Norwegians was somewhat fortunate, but not undeserved in the end because they wanted the win more than the Canadians with their superstars Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini. In addition, goalie Henrik Haukeland (46 saves) of the Straubing Tigers was outstanding.
Canada, who lost 4:2 to Finland in the semi-final on Saturday evening, traditionally attaches little importance to a bronze medal. In the motherland of field hockey, the motto is: gold or nothing. The last time the Canadians won a bronze game was in 1995, since then they have now lost in the "small" final for the sixth time.
The Norwegians crowned an outstanding World Championship, in which they defeated the Czech Republic and their big neighbor Sweden, with the unexpected medal.
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"It's their home stadium, but I don't care"
Finland take on Switzerland in the World Championship final. After the 4:2 victory against Canada in the semi-final, two Finnish stars spoke to SRF in the mixed zone about the upcoming final against the hosts.
"It's their home stadium, but I don't care. It's loud and nice to play here," said Konsta Helenius, who scored Finland's landmark 3:2 goal against the Canadians. "When we played them in the group stage, we got off to a bad start. We have to be ready from the start and play well for the whole 60 minutes. That's the most important thing."
Two-time Stanley Cup winner Aleksander Barkov is also looking forward to the atmosphere: "It's going to be great. Against Switzerland, at their home - the first game against them was incredible. We're really looking forward to it. Obviously we have to be better than in the last game."
The fact that the 30-year-old, who missed the season with the Florida Panthers due to injury and only returned shortly before the World Cup, will be playing his tenth game in 17 days on Sunday evening doesn't bother him: "In the final, it doesn't matter how tired you are - you'll be excited."
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Finland outplay the record world champions and follow the national team into the final
Record world champions Canada must continue to wait for their 29th World Cup title, their first since 2023. The North Americans, who finished first in Group B in Freiburg without defeat, were too vulnerable against Finland, particularly in defense.
In the middle third, the Finns turned a 1:2 deficit into a 4:2 lead within twelve minutes. This time it was the NHL forwards who made the decisive difference. Captain Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers scored just 49 seconds after the restart to equalize, Konsta Helenius (Buffalo) and Aatu Raty (Vancouver) turned the tide completely in the 32nd and 33rd minutes.
The Canadians put on more pressure again in the final period and also had a few good chances. All in all, however, the Finns managed to see out the victory relatively safely.
Finland are in the World Championship final for the 14th time. They have won "only" four of them, the last one four years ago at home in Tampere with a 4:3 overtime win against Canada.
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Free night in Zurich if Switzerland wins the world title
If the Swiss national ice hockey team wins the World Championship title in the final in Zurich on Sunday evening, the city will be able to celebrate without a curfew. As announced by the Zurich Security Department, there will be a free night indoors in restaurants and bars. Garden restaurants and boulevard cafés, on the other hand, must adhere to normal opening hours.
In any case, there will be a medal ceremony in the city of Zurich on Monday. This is planned for around 5.30 pm. In the event of a World Championship title, there will be a big party on Helvetiaplatz; in the event of a defeat in the final, there will be a celebration in the theater hall of the Volkshaus Zurich. Further information will follow, according to the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation.
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The Nati fans celebrate reaching the final in front of the stadium
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Ralph Krueger succeeds Federer
After Roger Federer presented the starting six in the Swiss national team's dressing room against Sweden, it's Ralph Krueger's turn ahead of the semi-final against Norway.
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Fan zone in Altstetten already full
As announced by the police outside the stadium, the official fan zone next to the SwissLife Arena is already full before the start of the Swiss Nati game. For security reasons, no more people are allowed in. You can see what it looked like during the quarter-final against Sweden in the following video:
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Knee check has repercussions: Timo Meier is banned for one game
The hard check in the middle third against the Swede Oskar Sundqvist has repercussions for Timo Meier. The IIHF Disciplinary Committee suspends the Nati forward for one game for the knee check in the 35th minute. Meier, who is the fourth-best Swiss scorer at this World Championship with three goals and eight assists, will therefore miss the semi-final against Norway on Saturday.
During the game, Meier got away with a two-minute penalty, which caused great anger among the Swedes. "Unbelievably unfair. Cowardly referees. They don't dare to decide against the Swiss public. Really cowardly," said 18-year-old super talent Ivar Stenberg. You can find out more here.
Dean Kukan, who received a game-misconduct penalty for a cross-check against Sweden, did not receive a suspension and is eligible to play in the semi-final.
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Picture: Swiss Ice Hockey -
Suri warns against Norway: "A strong team in terms of play"
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Switzerland will face Norway in the semi-final
The Swiss national team eliminated fearful opponents Sweden in the quarter-finals and will face the big surprise team from Norway in the semi-finals. Read more in the detailed match report:
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Celebrity guest in the dressing room: Roger Federer heats up the Swiss national team
What Büne Huber did in the last match against Finland is now Roger Federer's job. The tennis legend announces the team's starting line-up before the start of the match.
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Canada puts the USA in its place
The first two semi-finalists at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Zurich and Fribourg are Canada and Finland.
Canada eliminated the current world champions and Olympic champions USA with a 4:0 victory. Macklin Celebrini gave the Canadians a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute in the rematch of this year's Olympic final. The 19-year-old super talent, who leads his team as captain and was the fourth-best scorer in the last NHL qualifiers with 115 points, took advantage of the space he was given on the power play and scored with a shot into the crossbar. It was Celebrini's sixth goal of the tournament.
![Canada's Sidney Crosby (right) celebrates scoring the 4:0 with teammate Macklin Celebrini.]()
Canada's Sidney Crosby (right) celebrates scoring the 4:0 with teammate Macklin Celebrini. KeystoneBefore making it 2-0 (30'), Mark Scheifele won the puck in his own zone, fed Dylan Holloway with a wonderful pass and the latter converted the self-provoked rebound. The Americans were also unable to respond in the final period, not least because of the strong Canadian keeper Jet Greaves, who saved 34 shots. In the 59th minute, Connor Brown and Sidney Crosby both scored into the empty net within 40 seconds of each other. It was Crosby's first goal at this World Championship after nine assists. A year ago, the Canadians lost to Denmark in the quarter-finals (1:2), but they were much more focused against their arch-rivals.
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Finland thanks to strong efficiency
Finland beat the Czech Republic 4:1 in the quarter-finals. The northerners were extremely efficient and only needed nine shots on goal to be 3-0 up after 22 minutes. Sakari Manninen scored the 1:0 (8th) on a pass from Jesse Puljujärvi - both are under contract with Genève-Servette. The goal was preceded by Jiri Tichacek losing the puck. Anton Lundell then scored after a rebound (15th) and Konsta Helenius after a counter-attack.
![The Finns made the most of their chances.]()
The Finns made the most of their chances. KeystoneThe Finns then had the game under control until Puljujärvi and Olli Määttä conceded two stupid penalties in quick succession. The Czechs took advantage of double overtime: Filip Hronek scored after a pass from Zug striker Dominik Kubalik to make it 1:3 (31'). Despite good chances, the Eastern Europeans failed to catch up; after Lenni Hämeenaho made it 4:1 in the 56th minute with an assist from Manninen, there was no longer any doubt about the outcome of the game. The Finns had failed to reach the quarter-finals in each of the last three years, now they are fighting for a medal again. The Czech Republic lost in the first knockout round for the second time in a row after winning the 2024 World Cup.
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Canada vs. USA 4:0
The final siren sounds: Canada beats the USA 4:0
Canada remains unbeaten in its eighth World Championship game and advances to the semi-finals thanks to a commanding victory against its arch-enemy and defending champions.
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Canada vs. USA 4:0*
Canada on the verge of victory in the giants' duel against the USA
The giants' duel seems to be decided: After Celebrini and Holloway put the Canadians on the road to victory in the first 40 minutes, Brown and Crosby ensure the decision with their goals into the empty net shortly before the end.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 4:1
The game in Zurich is over: Finland is through to the semi-finals
The Finns leave nothing to chance in the final phase and advance to the semi-finals thanks to a 4:1 win against the Czech Republic. The only team to beat Finland on the way there: Switzerland.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 4:1*
Finland increases to 4:1 shortly before the end
With just over four minutes left on the clock, Finland probably managed to decide the game: Lenni Hameenaho intercepted the disk in the middle zone and was able to skate alone towards the Czech goal. Hameenaho outwits goalie Korenar and makes it 4:1 for Finland.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 3:1* / Canada vs. USA 2:0*
Finland and Canada lead after 40 minutes
The Finns are not rattled by the goal they conceded and have the game under control until the second break. After 40 minutes they lead 3:1 against the Czechs.
In Fribourg, the Canadians also had everything under control against their arch-rivals from the USA. They lead 2-0 after two periods thanks to Macklin Celebrini and Dylan Holloway.
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Canada vs. USA 2:0*
Cooley makes a miraculous save
Canada has a great chance. Cooley lets a shot from the left bounce to the front, where Connor Brown comes rushing in. He takes a direct shot, but fails to catch the USA goalkeeper, who stretches to scramble the puck out of the net.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 3:1*
If not in double overtime, then when
The Czechs play with two men more and install themselves in the Finnish zone. The puck gets to Filip Hronek at the blue line, who beats Finnish goalkeeper Annunen with a powerful slapshot.
No more goals are scored in a simple overtime situation. Finland leads 3:1 after more than half the game.
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Canada vs. USA 2:0*
Holloway scores for Canada
Scheifele does some good backchecking and wins the puck in his own zone. He plays the long pass to the opposing blue line, where Dylan Holloway is waiting. He skates into the opposing zone. Takes a first shot, but only hits the American in front of him. The disk lands again on the shovel of Holloway, who catches Cooley between the legs.
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Canada vs. USA 1:0*
Penalties on both sides - chances are few and far between
The two teams don't give each other anything, as the many penalties in the first 30 minutes show. Only the chances on both sides are not quite there yet. This is also due to the fact that the outfield players are sacrificing themselves and putting themselves into every shot.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 3:0*
Finland ice cold
A Czech defender loses the duel in the middle zone and allows Finland a two-on-one. Aleksander Barkov skates into the opponent's zone on the right and plays a cross-ice pass to Konsta Helenius, who just has to slot it in.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 2:0* / Canada vs. USA 1:0*
The 2nd period is underway
The players are back on the ice in both Zurich and Fribourg and the second period continues.
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Canada vs. USA 1:0*
Celebrini shoots Canada in front
Canadian captain Macklin Celebrini is played in at the opposing blue line and is not tackled. He can choose the corner and decides to take a wrist shot into the right crossbar. USA goalie Cooley can no longer get to the disc.
The Americans fail to equalize before the first break and Canada leads 1-0 after 20 minutes.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 2:0*
Lundell scores for the Finns
Czech goalkeeper Josef Korenar allows a shot from Lenni Hameenaho to bounce forward and Anton Lundell doesn't need to be asked twice in front of goal. Finland take a deserved 2-0 lead and go into the first break with a two-goal lead.
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Canada vs, USA 0:0*
Scary moment for Canada: USA defender Lindgren is sent to the showers
Desperate scene after six minutes of play in Fribourg: Evan Bouchard remains lying on the ground after a duel and looks dazed. The coaches and doctors immediately rush onto the ice. The Canadian is treated during the first power break.
For the American Ryan Lindgren, on the other hand, the game is already over. He is sent to the showers for an illegal check to the head - and Canada can play five minutes on the power play.
Canada cannot take advantage of the long overtime. John Tavares has the best chance, but fails to beat USA goalkeeper Devin Cooley from close range.
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Finland vs. Czech Republic 1:0*
Manninen scores to give Finland the lead
Finland take control from the start and take the lead in the 8th minute through Sakari Manninen. He scores from a pass by Jesse Puljujärvi, who clears a path on the right wing and sets up his team-mate in the center.
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Start of the quarter-finals: Canada meets the USA
The first two quarter-finals are about to start: Finland will face the Czech Republic in Zurich from 16:20, while the giant duel between Canada and the USA will take place in Fribourg. Stay up to date here.
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Suri believes the national team will win against Sweden: "Switzerland is in field hockey fever
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Only medals count for Sweden
Only medals are good enough for Sweden at the World Championships. Failure in the quarter-finals on Thursday evening against Switzerland, who have an impeccable record to date, would not live up to the high expectations.
The Swedes have not lived up to these expectations so far at this World Championship. They only qualified for the quarter-finals on the last matchday of the preliminary round thanks to a 4-2 win against Slovakia - although a win after 60 minutes was necessary to progress. Before that, they had lost to Canada (3:5), the Czech Republic (3:4) and above all Norway (2:3).
The Swedish squad consists of twelve NHL players, including defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mattias Ekholm as well as forward Lucas Raymond. The former has played over 1000 games in the best ice hockey league in the world, 1199 and 1091 respectively. Ekholm formed a duo with the Swiss Roman Josi for a long time with the Nashville Predators. Raymond has scored 83 goals and 145 assists in 244 games for the Detroit Red Wings in the last three NHL seasons and is currently the best Swedish scorer at this World Championship with eleven points (five goals).
In addition to plenty of experience, the team is also full of promising talent - five players were born in 2006 or younger. One of them is 18-year-old Ivar Stenberg, who has shone in the preliminary round with four goals and four assists.
The team is coached by Sam Hallam, who will be at the helm of Genève-Servette from next season. The 46-year-old is impressed by the Swiss game, which is why he has great respect for the World Cup hosts, who had an unblemished record in the preliminary round. Nevertheless, a semi-final appearance is expected at home, and failure would be a huge disappointment.
![Will Swedish national coach Sam Hallam find the right words against Switzerland?]()
Will Swedish national coach Sam Hallam find the right words against Switzerland? Picture: sda -
Odermatt and Büne Huber fire up the national team
The stadium in Zurich-Altstetten remains a Swiss party venue. Even after the seventh game, the 10,000 spectators celebrated Jan Cadieux's team to the sounds of Büne Huber's hit "W. Nuss vo Bümpliz" - and in front of the attending frontman of Patent Ochsner.
The 64-year-old dialect rocker also had the honor of presenting the 1st line in the dressing room before the Finland game.
Marco Odermatt was also there - the ski star got the Swiss fans in the mood for the game with a cowbell.
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The quarter-finals at a glance
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Seger's warning: "The miserable battle between the league and the federation is sad as hell"
As strong as the national team is at the moment, there are also clouds on the horizon. While six Swiss players were selected in the first round of the NHL draft between 2008 and 2017, only one has been selected since then (Lian Bichsel in 2022). The U18 national team was relegated from the top division a year ago, which should have been an alarm signal, even though they were promoted straight back up in April.
Mathias Seger, who was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2022, clearly addresses the shortcomings to Keystone-SDA. For the long-time captain of the national team and the ZSC Lions, one of the main problems is that the breadth of ice hockey is being lost. "You can see that small clubs are going under, they no longer have the financial means to hire professional coaches. This leads to an early exodus of talent to the big clubs."
The clubs in the National League are decisive in the whole development. After splitting from the association, they must be aware that they are not only responsible for themselves, but for Swiss ice hockey as a whole. Due to the weakening, the association has far too few tools to intervene decisively. "But everyone is only looking at their own backyard, it's primarily about quick profitability."
The 48-year-old Seger, who ended his career in 2018, fears that the negative trends are being reacted to too late. "The National League is doing well, but if you look at the Swiss League, Swiss ice hockey is actually not doing well. We have such good conditions here, such a passion for the sport, and then there's this miserable fight between the National League and the association. It's sad as hell." The conflicts are not yet noticeable, the golden generation is still to be seen, but perhaps in ten years' time. Then it will be too late to react.
![Mathias Seger is not blinded by the current success.]()
Mathias Seger is not blinded by the current success. Picture: sda -
Ambühl is looking forward to the award: "It will only take an hour"
Andres Ambühl does not like to be the center of attention. But next Sunday he will be once again at the ceremony for his induction into the International Ice Hockey Federation's Hall of Fame. Among other things, he has earned his induction with a record 20 World Championship appearances. Is he looking forward to it? "Momol, it's only an hour away," says Ambühl in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. First and foremost, however, the 42-year-old is looking forward to the games; he has been invited for the entire final weekend.
With the exception of 2018, this is the first World Championship since his debut in 2004 where Ambühl will not be on the ice. Doesn't the great atmosphere appeal to him? "Of course it would be cool with this atmosphere, but I'm pretty much done with it. I was able to experience something similar in Bern (at the 2009 World Championship), it's nice that the younger players can do that now."
When asked about his incredible records during his career, Ambühl always said that he might later realize what he had achieved. When asked about this, he explains: "I don't think too much about that today. Whether I've competed in 20 or twelve world championships, it doesn't matter. Meeting good people, having collected cool moments and memories, that's the most important thing in the end - even if you logically want to win."
An important companion of Ambühl's was long-time national team coach Patrick Fischer, who was sacked shortly before the home World Cup due to the affair surrounding his forged Covid certificate. Fischer was not only Ambühl's coach, they also played together in the national team. "I felt extremely sorry for him," said the three-time World Championship silver medallist and six-time Swiss champion. "He played a big part in Switzerland getting to where they are now. I was amazed that there was still such a big wave. In my eyes, it would have been very nice if he could have stopped with the home World Championship."
![Andres Ambühl takes center stage again on Sunday.]()
Andres Ambühl takes center stage again on Sunday. Picture: sda -
Germany do their duty
Germany finished the group phase with their third win in a row, but a quarter-final appearance is still unlikely. The clear 6-3 victory over Great Britain, who have already been relegated, will only be of sporting value if Latvia lose to Hungary on Tuesday.
With 10 points from seven games, Harold Kreis' team was only able to impress against the weaker opponents. The team had no chance against Finland (1:3) and hosts Switzerland (1:6). After the preliminary round exit in 2025 and the poor performance at the Olympics with all NHL stars and the 2:6 against Slovakia in the quarter-finals, this is the third tournament disappointment in a row.
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Italy defeated by Slovenia
The two relegated teams are certain. After Great Britain, Italy is the second team to be relegated straight back to the second-highest division. The Italians lost the game of last chance against Slovenia 1:5.
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Norway secure quarter-final ticket
After Sweden (3:2), the Norwegians also defeated the Czech Republic 4:1. The Norwegians can now even look forward to 2nd place in the group.
The Czech defeat against Norway means that Canada has already won the Freiburg preliminary round group before the last games. Norway overtook the Czech Republic and can secure second place in the group with a win over Denmark. It will be critical for Sweden: The Swedes occupy 5th place before the last game and can only overtake the Slovaks. Sweden need a win in 60 minutes against the Olympic finalists on Tuesday, otherwise the ten-time world champions will miss out on the quarter-finals, as they did in 2019.
The Norwegians, on the other hand, reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2012. The Norwegians won against the Czech Republic for only the second time since 2010 and scored four goals against the Czech Republic for the first time against the field hockey superpower. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard from the Detroit Red Wings scored two goals.
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USA defeat Hungary
In the Zurich group, the USA kept their chance of reaching the quarter-finals alive. The USA team defeated Hungary 7:3 and, like Sweden, moved up to fifth place. However, like Sweden, the 2025 world champions can still reach the last eight on their own. To do so, the USA must defeat Austria.
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Latvia dreams of the quarter-finals
The Latvians won their first World Championship medal in 2023 with bronze, but then narrowly missed out on the last eight twice. Now they should be able to advance to the knockout phase again in Zurich.
Just one day after their surprise win against world champions USA, the team led by captain Rudolfs Balcers easily fulfilled their compulsory task against the British, who are still without points. The ZSC Lions forward scored his sixth goal of the tournament in a well-deserved 6-0 win. Latvia can now seal their place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday with a win against Hungary to conclude the preliminary round.
Finland too strong for Austria
The fourth quarter-finalist in the Swiss group will probably be decided between Austria and defending champions USA in a direct duel on the same day. The Austrians, coached by Roger Bader, once again clearly missed out on the fourth victory they needed in their 5-2 loss to Finland. Like Switzerland, the Finns will therefore go into Tuesday's clash for group victory with a clean slate.
At the other end of the table is promoted Great Britain, who - as in 2024 - will be relegated directly to the second-highest Division 1A. After six games, they have zero points and a goal difference of 4:29.
First point for Italy
The same fate could befall Italy in the other group. Although the Italians, with Kloten goalie Davide Fadani between the posts, picked up their first point in the 2:3 after penalties against Denmark in their sixth game, they will need a win after 60 minutes against Slovenia on Monday to leave the Slovenians behind. Denmark, for their part, got rid of all their relegation worries with their second win of the tournament.
Denmark, for their part, got rid of all their relegation worries with their second win of the tournament, after causing a sensation last year with their historic semi-final appearance at the home World Cup. The victims of that quarter-final were record world champions Canada.
Canada's final spurt
The team with superstars Macklin Celebrini and Sidney Crosby won their sixth game in six against Slovakia in Freiburg on Sunday. In a high-class top game, the score was 1:1 after 40 minutes before the Canadians scored four goals within seven minutes in the final period through Vilardi, Tavares, O'Reilly and Celebrini to make it 5:1. The Slovaks have not yet secured their ticket to the quarter-finals.
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Latvia crushes the USA
The Latvian goalie Kristers Gudlevskis, who had already shone against Switzerland and had made 45 saves against Germany, also made the USA team desperate. Sandis Vilmanis also scored two goals into the empty net and contributed an assist in the third period.
The Latvians thus remain on course for the quarter-finals. They have won six points so far in Group A in Zurich and will face Great Britain and Hungary at the end of the preliminary round. The Americans, the defending champions, have only picked up five points so far and still face Hungary and Austria. Switzerland and Finland have already qualified for the knockout phase in Group A, while Austria already have nine points ahead of their clash against Germany on Saturday evening.
The USA, featuring NHL star Matthew Tkachuk for the second time (1 goal and 1 assist against Latvia), dominated the game with 47:22 shots on goal.
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Denmark with first win
Denmark lives up to its role as favourites and beats Slovenia 4:0. The Danes control the game for long stretches and hardly allow any chances defensively. For Slovenia, the situation in the battle to stay in the league is becoming increasingly precarious.
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Finland catches up with the Nati
There was no surprise in the Swiss group: Finland beat Great Britain 4:0. Previously the team with the best shooting efficiency (16 percent), the Finns needed 47 shots to score 4 goals against Great Britain. With 15 points from 5 games, Finland catches up with Switzerland, but has the slightly worse goal difference (24:5 vs. 26:5).
![The Finns remain hungry.]()
The Finns remain hungry. Keystone -
Sweden beat Italy 3:0
Sweden celebrate a lackluster 3-0 win against Italy. The "Tre Kronor" thus overtake Norway and regain 4th place, although they have played one game more and are only two points ahead. Saturday's head-to-head match will show whether Sweden remain on course for the quarter-finals or whether the Norwegians will move into position.
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Germany sweeps Hungary off the ice
The German tabloid "Bild" headlines: "German landslide victory against the ice hockey dwarf." The hosts of the next World Championship win 6:2 against Hungary. It is Germany's first win in its fourth World Cup game.
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Screenshot: Bild.de -
Canada celebrates a lackluster victory against Slovenia
The Canadians win 3:1 against Slovenia and thus fulfill their duty. With 14 points, they lead the Group B table ahead of Slovakia. However, the Slovaks have played one game less and could catch up with Canada on points on Saturday. To do so, however, the Slovaks would have to beat the Czech Republic after 60 minutes.
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Denmark clearly defeated by Slovakia
Denmark remain without points after their fourth World Championship game. The Danes trailed 3-0 against Slovakia until the 26th minute and ultimately lost 5-1 without any discussion. While Denmark and Italy are bottom of Group B with 0 points, Slovakia are in second place with 11 points.
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Group B: Canada only wins in overtime
The big favorites Canada had an unexpectedly difficult time against the blatant outsiders Norway. The Scandinavians played courageously, took the lead four times in the course of the game (including 5:4 in the 50th minute through Thomas Koblar) and sniffed at the big sensation. It was not until just under two minutes before the end of normal time that Ryan O'Reilly rescued the reeling North Americans with a late equalizer to make it 5:5 in the extra period.
In the extra period, however, it took just 29 seconds before Mark Scheifele made sure of a quick decision in favour of the Canadians. It was Scheifele's third goal of the evening after he had already brought his team back into the game twice in the first period after Norway had taken the lead. Despite the narrow defeat, Norway were rewarded with a well-deserved point for their spirited performance.
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Group A: Finland gives Latvia no chance ++ Switzerland face a tough task
In the afternoon game, Finland clearly beat Latvia 7:1 in Zurich. With Hannes Björninen, Saku Mäenalanen (both SCL Tigers) and Waltteri Merelä (SC Bern), three Finns involved in the National League scored. Rudolfs Balcers of the ZSC Lions was the only scorer for the Latvians. With this victory, Finland remains unbeaten in its fourth game of this World Championship and is back on level terms with Switzerland.
Switzerland will face Great Britain in the evening and will go into the game as clear favorites. Anything other than a fifth win in the fifth game would be a big surprise.
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The USA defeats Germany on penalties
Germany also loses its fourth game at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Switzerland - 3:4 on penalties against the USA.
The defending champions USA continue to struggle at the World Championships. In front of 9731 spectators in the almost full arena in Zurich, however, they narrowly avoided a third defeat in their fourth game against Germany. Only six minutes before the end did Tommy Novak equalize out of a scramble to make it 3:3.
After a goalless overtime, they prevailed in the penalty shoot-out and thus remain narrowly on course for the quarter-finals. Germany, on the other hand, urgently need a win against Austria on Friday to keep their chances of reaching the quarter-finals alive.
![Close duel with the Americans as lucky winners against Germany.]()
Close duel with the Americans as lucky winners against Germany. Picture: sdaThe Swedes did not show any weakness with a 6:0 victory against Slovenia. It is only the second success for the Scandinavians after defeats against Canada and the Czech Republic. Fribourg's Jacob de la Rose scored twice in his home stadium.
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Czech Republic with difficulty to mandatory victory
The Czech Republic only just managed to pull off a must-win against Italy in Group B of the Ice Hockey World Championship in Fribourg. Up until the 45th minute, the newly promoted Italian team was on its way to a sensation against last year's world champions in Freiburg. Thanks to a goal from Nick Saracino, Italy led 1:0 despite their glaring inferiority, but then the Czechs turned the tide within six minutes. The all-important 3:1 was then scored into an empty net.
The outstanding player for the Italians was goalie Damian Clara from the AHL team from San Diego with 56 shots saved. The Azzurri thus remain bottom of the table without a point after four games.
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Group B: The Czech Republic and Sweden face mandatory tasks
In Fribourg on Wednesday, third-placed Czech Republic will play bottom-placed Italy. The Czechs have only ever been beaten by Slovenia in overtime. Italy are still waiting for a point - and their second goal of the tournament. The Italians have a goal difference of 1:14 after three games.
In the evening, Sweden will face Slovenia. The Scandinavians are in desperate need of points, having collected just three in three games so far and find themselves in fifth place. Tonight's opponents Slovenia have the same number of points. After their surprising overtime win against the Czech Republic, the Slovenians also picked up a point against Slovakia.
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Group A: Switzerland against Austria, USA challenges Germany
In the afternoon game, Switzerland will play their second consecutive neighboring duel after their 6:1 win against Germany on Monday. This time, Swiss coach Roger Bader's Austria await. Both teams are still unbeaten and are playing for the top spot in the table.
In the evening game, the struggling USA and Germany will meet. The reigning world and Olympic champions have only won once in their first three games. The Germans, on the other hand, are still waiting for their first point.
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Hungary wins easily, Slovakia in a penalty shoot-out
The Tuesday evening games at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland could hardly be more different. In Zurich, Hungary put up a good fight against Great Britain and won 5:0, while the game between Slovenia and Slovakia in Fribourg was a wild exchange of blows. After a 4-4 draw, the game went to a penalty shoot-out, where Slovakia ultimately prevailed.
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Austria marches on
What a start to the World Championship for the Austrians. After two wins from their first two games, the Austrians also win their third game. The score against Latvia was 1:1 for a long time before our eastern neighbors won the game 3:1 with a goal in overtime and one into the empty net. The next game will be a tough test for the Austrians: Switzerland await them on Wednesday at 16:20.
![Austria celebrate their third win in their third game at the World Cup.]()
Austria celebrate their third win in their third game at the World Cup. IMAGO/Beautiful Sports International -
Norway clearly beats Italy
Italy also lose their third World Cup match. The Italians were defeated 4-0 by Norway, who clearly dominated the game and scored in every period. As a result, the Scandinavians pick up their second win and are in fourth place in Group B after three games.
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Czechs defeat Sweden
The Czech Republic made impressive amends for their surprising defeat against Slovenia. In the top match against Sweden, the 2024 world champions scored three goals from their first four attempts to take an early 3:0 lead. The Swedes never got closer than a one-goal difference. They have now lost to both Canada and the Czech Republic and are therefore trailing in the battle for a place in the top two.
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Finland outclasses the defending champions USA
After their opening victories against Germany and Hungary, the Finns also put the defending champions USA in their place in the first real text in Group A in Zurich. Five different scorers - including Saku Mäenalanen from the SCL Tigers - scored in the 6-2 victory. Only Lenni Hämeenaho of the New Jersey Devils scored twice.
The Americans, reigning world and Olympic champions, have so far been unable to hide the fact that they are missing most of the key players from their title-winning campaign and have the second-youngest team at the World Championships. After their defeat against Switzerland, they were also overstretched at times in their clash with the second top team in Group A.
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Denmark without a chance against Canada
Canada also have nine points after three games and are the favorites in Group B in Freiburg. In their 5:1 win over Denmark, they had to wait until the 41st minute before 19-year-old Philadelphia striker Porter Martone broke the spell. After that, revenge for the sensational quarter-final exit against the Danes a year ago was no longer in danger. Although superstar Sidney Crosby is still waiting for his first goal of the tournament, he recorded four more assists.
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Switzerland can do the World Championship - only Peter can't yet
The Ice Hockey World Championship proves once again what is sometimes lacking at the Olympic Games or other major sporting events. With or without an admission ticket, people meet up on the fan mile to celebrate together. In Zurich, you have to earn the party. The official fan zone is not on the way from Altstetten station to the stadium, but a few hundred meters further on. The detour has its charm, as visitors are accompanied by stars such as Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Andres Ambühl - it's called the "Walk of Legends".
The field hockey enthusiasm in Fribourg is also legendary. As the Swiss play in Zurich, the atmosphere in Fribourg is more international. The Canadians with the legendary Sidney Crosby and his presumed successor Macklin Celebrini celebrate their art here. When the 19-year-old young star is on the puck, a murmur, sometimes even a shriek, goes through the arena. Roman Cervenka, on the other hand, is greeted with a few whistles; in Freiburg, his "escape" to Zurich has not yet been forgotten - even though it was eight years ago.
Hard-drinking Czechs and Slovaks
Just as legendary are the hard-drinking supporters from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, who literally flood the fan zone in Freiburg. Once one country, then peacefully separated, they still celebrate together and with lots of beer. After the first weekend, it is fair to ask whether there is still enough beer left in Fribourg for the next ten days after Gottéron's championship celebrations.
In Zurich, the red and white of the Swiss naturally dominates. While the Canada-Sweden clash is shown on the big screen, they stand on the festival benches and sing along to the sounds of W. Nuss vo Bümpliz. On this starting weekend, only the weather is not yet World Cup-worthy. It is cold, sometimes damp, not yet the weather for a pleasant outing. That should improve now. Then the various outdoor games of skill will probably be even more popular. A total of over 100,000 visitors are expected in the fan zones by May 30.
Unemployed police congratulated
But the fans are already in World Cup form. But that is also a tradition in ice hockey. No complaints about exorbitant ticket prices, no anger about an autocratic president, no free riders who want to make a killing with drastic price increases - and above all, no fan riots. The police car that stands alone on the way to the station, with its scoreboard congratulating Switzerland on its opening victory against the USA, is characteristic and likeable.
Switzerland has already proven that it can turn major events into festivals at the European Women's Football Championships. The Ice Hockey World Cup is a seamless continuation of this. The fans from all over the world have already earned themselves a gold medal - the Swiss players want to follow suit.
![Fans get their money's worth at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Zurich and Fribourg.]()
Fans get their money's worth at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Zurich and Fribourg. Picture: sda -
USA and Slovakia celebrate victories as favorites
In the Swiss group, the USA celebrated a clear 5:1 victory over Great Britain after the opening defeat against Switzerland.
![The reigning world champions celebrate their first win in their 2nd game.]()
The reigning world champions celebrate their first win in their 2nd game. KeystoneSlovakia beat Italy 4:1 in Group B. While the Slovaks won their first two games, the Italians lost for the second time. Of course, this is not a surprise.
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The Swedes have had enough
The Swedes started the World Championship tournament with a 5-3 defeat against Canada on Friday. On Sunday against Denmark (4.20 pm) they will now be looking for their first win. But the Swedes have a problem, because they don't feel comfortable in Switzerland, as the Swedish tabloid "Aftonbladet" reported in the run-up to the first game.
"Yes, the smell of manure is clearly perceptible," defender Mattias Ekholm is quoted as saying. Goalie Magnus Hellberg also wrinkled his nose and said: "Oh my God, it stinks!"
![Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hellberg stinks.]()
Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hellberg stinks. ImagoMeanwhile, Swedish coach Sam Hallam practised gallows humor: "You get what you deserve, don't you?" Did the future Servette coach already know that his team would lose against Canada?
The Swedes are staying overnight in a hotel in Bern and then have to travel around half an hour by bus as they play their games in the BCF Arena in Fribourg. If the Swedes win the losers' duel against Denmark on Sunday, the taste of slurry should also be easier to bear.
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May 17
The matches on Sunday
In the Swiss group, Great Britain will play the USA (12.20 p.m.), Austria will face Hungary (4.20 p.m.) and Germany will play Latvia (8.20 p.m.).
In Group B, the Italians face Slovakia (12.20pm), who beat Norway 2:1 in their opener. Denmark and Sweden lost their opening game and will now face each other (4.20pm). In the evening at 20:20, Slovenia will also be looking to overcome the Norwegians after their surprising 3:2 win (after extra time) against the Czech Republic.
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Czech Republic surprisingly lose
Slovenia caused the first surprise of this World Cup, beating the Czech Republic 3:2 after extra time. The 2024 world champions turned around a 0:1 deficit to take a 2:1 lead thanks to two goals in the middle third. However, Slovenia equalized in the third period and forced overtime. Marcel Mahkovec scored the winning goal after just 74 seconds. The Czech Republic thus suffered their first defeat in their second game - for the Slovenians it was their first win in their first game of the World Championship.
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Canada shoots down Italy
After the spectacular 5:3 opening victory against Sweden, the Canadian star ensemble gives the Italians no chance in their second World Championship game. The favourites were already 3-0 up by the 17th minute, before the Canadians finally won 6-0, with captain Macklin Celebrini scoring twice.
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Finland beat Hungary easily - Puljujärvi shines
The Finns record their second win in their second World Championship game. The 3:1 win against Germany was followed by an unchallenged 4:1 victory against Hungary. Servette striker Jesse Puljujärvi shone with a brace and already has five points after two games.
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Austria and Slovakia start the tournament victoriously
For the first time in eleven years, Austria's ice hockey team starts an A-World Championship with a victory. In Zurich, Roger Bader's team defeated Great Britain 5:2 (3:2,2:0,0:0).
![The Austrians celebrate an unchallenged opening victory against Great Britain.]()
The Austrians celebrate an unchallenged opening victory against Great Britain. KeystoneAustria has thus taken a first big step towards securing its place in the final. A second victory is to follow on Sunday against Hungary, their second rival for a place in the top 16.
The game in front of around 8,000 spectators began just as the Swiss coach's team wanted. After taking a 3:0 lead after ten minutes, things seemed to be clear-cut. However, the flow of the game broke down and the British came back with a brace within 37 seconds. It was not until the middle third that the Austrians regained control of the game.
Slovakia had more trouble against Norway in Group B. In the end, however, the favorites prevailed in this game as well, winning 2:1.
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Canada beats Sweden in a duel of giants
The stars from Canada and Sweden, two of the favorites for the World Championship title, celebrated a true field hockey festival in Freiburg. Defensively, there was still a lack of coordination, allowing the offensive artists to really shine. As many goals were scored in one game as in three play-off finals between Fribourg and Davos at the same venue.
It wasn't the Canadian superstars Macklin Celebrini or Sidney Crosby who shone, but the young players from the third and fourth lines. Strikingly, the only 19-year-old Celebrini is captain instead of Crosby, who is twice as old and known as "Captain Canada".
The two teams played three completely different periods. In the first, Canada was superior and took a 2-0 lead, in the second Sweden deservedly equalized to 3-3, and in the third the record world champions dominated again.
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Group A: Finland beats Germany in the opener
Finland started the World Championship tournament with a win in the Swiss group. The Olympic bronze medallists defeated Germany 3:1 in Zurich. While the Finns scored twice in overtime thanks to NHL star Anton Lundell (9th) and Servette forward Jesse Puljujärvi (44th), the Germans struggled in particular on the power play. Between the 12th and 35th minute, they let five minor penalties of their opponents go unused.
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Group B: Czech Republic defeats Denmark
Thanks to "Swiss" power, the Czech Republic also achieved an impressive 4:1 victory against Denmark. The two Zug players Dominik Kubalik and Daniel Vozenilek provided a quick 2:0 lead.
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Germany captain Seider with the save of the tournament?
Germany trailed Finland 0:1 after one period. Just 30 seconds into the first period, DEB captain Moritz Seider prevents the second goal and possibly makes the save of the tournament. Goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer is far in front of his box when the disk rolls behind him towards the line. Standing in the goal area, Seider turns around in a flash and stops the puck with his stick on the goal line as he falls. When he sees his action on the big cube, he celebrates himself and immediately fires up his team-mates.
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Can the Nati get their revenge against the USA in the final?
ZSC forward Sven Andrighetto is very much looking forward to the opening game against the USA: "It's the opening game for us, we want to get off to a good start in the tournament. And they are the defending champions and beat us in the final last year. They also won gold at the Olympics and are certainly one of the top favorites."
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What national team coach Cadieux says ahead of the start of the home World Championships
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Josi: "We will certainly be ready"
The wait is finally over for the Nati stars. The game against the USA marks the start of the home World Championship, which will be very special for Roman Josi, especially off the ice. "Your family and friends are there. The whole atmosphere is different to when you're abroad," says the national team captain, emphasizing at the same time: "But when it finally starts on Friday, it's just like field hockey - and just like any other World Cup."
Josi is convinced: "We had good preparation. We've waited a long time for this moment. We'll be ready for sure."
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Reto Suri, what speaks for a Swiss triumph?
In an interview with blue Sport, expert Reto Suri assesses what speaks in favor of a Swiss gold medal.
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Hello ...
... and welcome to the ticker for the Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland. The first day of the tournament features two games each in Zurich and Fribourg. As hosts, the Swiss national team will kick off the action at 20:20 and face defending champions USA.
