The Swiss national team suffered a major disappointment in the first game of the home tournament in Fribourg. It was defeated 1:4 by Sweden.
12.12.2024, 22:25
12.12.2024, 22:29
SDA
"The team has the potential to win all three games," said national coach Patrick Fischer ahead of the tournament. After losing all of their first eight games in front of a home crowd as part of the Euro Hockey Tour, they were finally looking for their first home win. The disillusionment was all the greater. The Swiss conceded four goals in the middle third and the game was already decided. In the final period, Dario Simion (56) at least managed to score the consolation goal.
It wasn't as if the Swiss weren't ready. The first 20 minutes were impressive. When Denis Malgin made a stupid mistake in the 13th minute by elbowing his ZSC Lions teammate Jesper Frödén in the face and was consequently sent to the showers early, the Swiss team fought with self-sacrifice during the ensuing five-minute short-handed period, two minutes of which were spent in double time, and conceded very little.
Special teams
The box play then stopped working in the middle period. Jacob de la Rose (26) and Lucas Wallmark (32) gave the Swedes a 2:0 lead with two powerplay goals. Both goal scorers play for Fribourg-Gottéron, and Swedish coach Sam Hallam used a total of twelve players from the National League.
Only 17 seconds after the 2:0, Sebastian Hartmann increased the lead to 3:0 after a counter-attack. 4:0 by Mathias Bromé (38.) was a short-handed goal and matched the completely unsuccessful middle third, in which the Swiss completely lost their bearings at times. Shortly before the 0:4, the Fischer team was unlucky that the game was interrupted too early, which is why Simion's goal (37.) did not count. Calvin Thürkauf had previously deflected a shot from Grégory Hofmann onto the post.
Against the Czech Republic on Saturday
In November, in the first tournament of this season in the Euro Hockey Tour, the Swiss defeated the Swedes 4:3 on penalties, their first win against the Scandinavians after 16 defeats. However, a repeat performance on Thursday evening in front of 4467 spectators was much more than expected.
After a day off, the Swiss will face world champions the Czech Republic on Saturday at 18:00, with Finland their final opponents on Sunday at 15:30. An enormous improvement is needed, otherwise the first home win in the Euro Hockey Tour will not happen.
Sweden - Switzerland 4:1 (0:0, 4:0, 0:1)
Fribourg. - 4467 spectators. - SR Kaukokari/Wuorenheimo (FIN), Fuchs/Stalder. -
Goals: 27. De La Rose (Wallmark, Sandin/exclusion Egli) 1:0. 32. (31:53) Wallmark (Sandin, Frödén/exclusion Thürkauf) 2:0. 33. (32:10) Hartmann (Oscarson, Lindholm) 3:0. 38. Bromé (Olofsson/Exclusion Frödén) 4:0. 56. Simion (Jäger) 4:1. - Penalties: 5 times 2 minutes against Sweden, 65 times 2 plus 5 minutes (Malgin) plus playing time (Malgin) against Switzerland.
Sweden: Johansson; Heed, Mattsson; Bengtsson, Carlsson; Nilsson, Lennström; Borgman; Strömwall, De La Rose, Wingerli; Hartmann, Wallmark, Ejdsell; Frödén, Olofsson, Bromé; Sandin, Oscarson, Lindholm; Brännström.
Switzerland: Charlin; Glauser, Kukan; Egli, Jung; Karrer, Marti; Heldner; Herzog, Malgin, Andrighetto; Simion, Thürkauf, Hofmann; Bertschy, Jäger, Lehmann; Riat, Senteler, Biasca; Schmid.
Remarks: Switzerland without Frick, Bader (both overtime) and Waeber (substitute goalie). 33rd timeout Switzerland. 37th post shot Thürkauf. Switzerland without goalie from 57:09 to 59:17. - Shots: Sweden 24 (11-12-2); Switzerland 36 (6-12-18). - Powerplay output: Sweden 2/5; Switzerland 0/4.
