After falling behind twice, Switzerland fought back to beat underdog Austria 6-5 in a thrilling battle at the 2024 IIHF World Ice Hockey Championship on Sunday night.
New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier completed his hat trick on a game-winning layup with 51 seconds left. It was Switzerland’s fifth power play goal of the game.
“Definitely not the way we wanted to play this game,” Switzerland’s Christian Marty said after avoiding an Austrian upset. “I think the three points for the win are the most important. But there’s a lot to learn and talk about and do better next game.”
This was a big outing for NHL leaders Switzerland. Hischier totaled four points. Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi, also wearing the “C” with the national team, had two goals and two assists.
“Obviously Hischier scored a huge goal at the end there and the power play is always a big part,” Josi said. “So we’re glad it worked out tonight.”
Switzerland beat Austria 36-18. With two Group A games each, the Swiss remain perfect and Austria winless.
Austria’s Lukas Haudum scored twice on the power play and Clements Unterweger had a goal and two assists. The Austrians deserved credit for equalizing twice after the Swiss took their first lead midway through the match.
“The effort was there,” said Austrian captain Thomas Raff. “I think we started on time. We knew we were going to play a good opponent. At the end of the day, we took a few too many penalties.”
Switzerland’s classic cross-border rivalry is with Germany. But this also had the makings of a good grudge match, and not just because of the raucous friends with 13,512 at Peague.
Both Austrian coach Roger Bader and his assistant Arno del Curto are of Swiss descent, the latter a long-time Davos legend with six Swiss titles as bench boss. And five Austrian players skate for Swiss NLA clubs: forwards Dominic Zwerger (HC Ambri-Piotta), Benjamin Baumgartner (SC Bern) and Vinzenz Rohrer (ZSC Lions Zurich), as well as defensemen Bernd Wolf (EHC Kloten) and Kilian Zundel (HC Ambri). – Piotta).
“It’s like in the league when a big team plays a smaller team,” Marty said. “For them, it’s like Game Seven all the time, and we have to match that intensity as well.”
The red-hot Austrians made a dream start at 4:15. Marco Rossi won an attacking zone back at Unterweger and the KAC Klagenfurt rearguard produced a perfect drive past Swiss starter Reto Berra.
Excited, Austria pressed forward. Paul Huber blocked a cross into the net at 14:33 to make it 2-0.
However, Bader’s boys took back-to-back minors, including a mental lapse with too many players on the ice, and they would pay the price.
Just four seconds into the ensuing 5-on-3 power play, Josi mimicked what Austria did on its opening goal. In the first phase, the 2020 Norris Trophy winner hit a rising slap shot past Austrian goalkeeper David Kickert at 15:48.
Things heated up early in the second period.
Haudum put Austria up 3-1 at 1:48 on the power play. But Switzerland struck back just 38 seconds later as Josi crossed to Hischier with his stick on the ice in the crease.
Midway through the game, Switzerland enjoyed a second 5-on-3 and once again capitalized. During a go-ahead game, Josi jumped to tie it on a rebound at 9:30.
“For me, it’s the first World Championship with Josi,” said Marti. “I knew he was a good player, but it’s unbelievable how good he is. When he’s on the ice and you see his body language it’s…I’m almost speechless. It’s crazy.”
Just 13 seconds later, Switzerland took its first lead on the ensuing 5-on-4. Sven Andrighetto raced down the left wing and dished the puck to Ken Jager just in front. He put it past Kickert’s left skate.
The Austrians, however, refused to surrender. At 14:45, they made it 4-4 on Haudum’s second PP goal, a great one-meter with the glove.
Philipp Kurashev nearly scored for another Swiss advantage in the final minute of the middle frame, but Kickert flew across to steal it away with his glove. He was an early contender to save the tournament.
To start the third period, Hischier’s New Jersey teammate Akira Schmid took on Berra, who had allowed four goals on just 12 shots, in the Swiss net.
At 0:43, with the man advantage, Kurashev centered the puck behind the goal line to Hischier, who beat Kickert high in the glove for a 5-4 lead.
The Austrians tied it at 12:17 on a long Baumgartner floater that Schmid failed to trap with his glove. Schmid got some redemption when he thwarted Rossi on a 2-on-1 with less than five minutes remaining.
Historically, Switzerland has dominated this competition. Austria’s last win over Switzerland was 4-3 here in Prague in 2015, courtesy of Konstantin Komarek’s winner. The Swiss won 4-0 in the last meeting in 2019.