Match Preview
Switzerland’s only defeat in the tournament so far came against gold medal favorites Canada, while Finland were far from convincing throughout the group stage. I am expecting a tight contest here, with overtime potentially needed to separate the sides.
Finland Getting Better as the Tournament Progresses
Finland’s opening-round performance was extremely disappointing, as they suffered a shock 4-1 defeat to underdogs Slovakia, with Eeli Tolvanen scoring a consolation goal in the second period. Despite dominating the shot count 40-25, defensive mistakes proved costly.
They responded well in the second round with a convincing 4-1 win over fellow Scandinavians Sweden. Finland were outshot 35-24 in that game and failed to convert during 14 minutes of power-play time, but their efficiency made the difference.
A direct quarterfinal berth was secured in the final group match with a dominant 11-0 victory over Italy, with Sebastian Aho and Kaapo Kakko leading the way by registering two goals and one assist each.
Switzerland Looking Solid and Organized
Switzerland opened the tournament with an impressive 4-0 statement win over France, as Timo Meier scored twice and Janis Moser added one goal and one assist.
They were then heavily beaten by Canada 5-1, with Pius Suter scoring a consolation goal on the power play in the first period.
In the third round, Switzerland were just two minutes away from beating the Czech Republic in regulation time before conceding late. However, they regrouped in overtime to claim a 4-3 victory, with Roman Josi and Timo Meier both contributing one goal and one assist.
The Red Crosses followed that up with a comfortable 3-0 win over tournament hosts Italy in the Round of 16.