🇨🇭 Switzerland 7-0 Denmark 🇩🇰
World Championship Semifinal
Avicii Arena, Stockholm 🇸🇪
Saturday, 24 May 2025

Switzerland is heading to the Gold medal game for the second year in a row.

Propelled by three first-period goals, the Swiss thumped underdog Denmark 7-0 in Saturday’s late semi-final in Stockholm.

They will battle the Americans, who beat Sweden 6-2 in the other semi-final, for Gold at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship on Sunday.

In 2024 in Prague, coach Patrick Fischer’s crew settled for the Silver medal after falling 2-0 to the host Czechs. This year, they hope to author a story of triumph. The Swiss, who also own modern-era Silvers from 2013 and 2018, have never won a top-division Gold medal. This will be a truly historic matchup as the Americans have never appeared in a World Championship final since the IIHF’s 1992 institution of the playoff system.

“They’ve gotten better throughout the tournament,” said Switzerland’s Timo Meier. “They’ll be better than the last time we played them. We’re excited to play in the final in Stockholm. It’s a great arena, it’s going to be a great crowd, and we’re grateful for that and will take full advantage of the opportunity.”

Nino Niederreiter set the tone with two goals. Denis Malgin, Damien Riat, and Sandro Schmid each chipped in a goal and an assist apiece. Ken Jäger and Tyler Moy also scored for Switzerland. Meier and Christoph Bertschy added two helpers apiece.

With 17 saves, Swiss starting goalie Leonardo Genoni earned his fifth win and tournament-leading fourth shutout. Genoni’s current shutout streak, dating back to the 5-1 win over Germany on 15 May, stretched to 181:35. The single-tournament record belongs to Finland’s Pekka Rinne (238:05 in 2015).

“He’s unreal,” said Swiss defenceman Janis Moser of Genoni. “He’s been doing it for so many years now, and he’s always clutch when it matters. He’s a huge part of our team.”

Final shots favoured Switzerland 34-17.

Seeded 11th in the IIHF World Ranking, the Cinderella Danes electrified the hockey world with their 2-1 quarter-final elimination of a star-studded Canadian team led by Sidney Crosby. It marked the first time Denmark has ever won a quarter-final in three tries, including 2010 and 2016.

Whether coach Mikael Gath’s troops surprise the Swedes – with whom they co-hosted this year’s tournament in Herning – and take the Bronze medal or settle for fourth place, this is the greatest result ever for Danmarks Ishockey Union.

“It’ll be great to take on Sweden in a meaningful game, especially for someone like me who played in Sweden for a long time,” said Nick Olesen, who stepped up with winning goals against both Canada and Germany.

After a couple of early close calls around Danish goalie Frederik Dichow’s cage, the Danes strove to keep it tight, tie pucks up along the boards, and generally frustrate their opponents. But the recipe that worked against Canada didn’t yield fruit this time.

With the Swiss exerting offensive-zone pressure, Niederreiter drew first blood at 9:23. He went to the net and a pinching Janis Moser’s centering pass deflected in off his knee. The goal was video-reviewed and the Winnipeg Jets veteran had his first of the tournament.

“The first couple of minutes weren’t easy but once we got the first one, it snowballed,” said Malgin.

The Swiss forecheck paid off with the 2-0 marker at 12:47. Simon Knak rushed behind Dichow’s net to retrieve Damien Riat’s dump-in, and sent the puck out front to Jäger. The Lausanne HC captain’s high attempt bounced in off Danish blueliner Markus Lauridsen.

Switzerland came in tied with the U.S. for the top power play percentage (32.14%), and clicked quickly on its first opportunity. At 17:23, Niederreiter, standing in front, backhanded in a rebound for a three-goal lead. “El Nino” first gained his big-game IIHF reputation when he scored the last-minute equalizer and overtime winner in a 4-3 World Junior quarter-final shocker over the Russians in 2010.

Play bogged down in the middle frame amid a penalty-box parade. Still, the Swiss managed to put this semi-final out of reach at 17:38. Meier won a puck battle on the left side boards and slipped the disc to Malgin in the faceoff circle. He cut into the slot and beat Dichow high to the stick side.

“We have to be more confident with the puck,” said Denmark’s Alexander True. “We were a little scared to play with the puck today. We have nothing to lose, but tonight we were a little timid.”

In the third period, Bertschy’s gritty effort below the goal line got the puck out front to Schmid, who capitalized on his own rebound at 4:48 for a 5-0 gap.

That ended Dichow’s evening, and Sebastian Dahm came into the net. Dahm, 38, last played versus Hungary. He was pulled after conceding two goals on three shots before Denmark rallied for an 8-2 rout.

Riat made it 6-0 Switzerland at 12:02 on a one-timer set up by Bertschy. That play was challenged by Denmark as offside, but the challenge fell short, and a delay-of-game penalty resulted. Moy added the seventh Swiss goal just 1:24 later.

Danish forward Morten Poulsen reflected: ​”We really believed in ourselves today to reach the final, but it’s not going to be a problem for us to get ourselves ready for tomorrow. We know it’s a massive game, the first time in history we are playing a Bronze medal game. It’s a big moment and a big, big chance for us, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bring home medals to Denmark.”

Switzerland’s perfect World Championship record versus Denmark continues. The Swiss have won all 10 games by an aggregate of 51-10.

In this year’s preliminary round, Denmark squandered a 2-1 second-period lead against Switzerland and lost 5-2. Moy and Nico Hischier starred with two goals and an assist apiece. Hischier, then serving as the Swiss captain, sustained a lower-body injury two games later against Germany, but his team just kept on winning hockey games. The Swiss are undefeated since falling 5-4 in overtime to the Czechs in their opener.

Denmark can take a little historical consolation from having beaten Switzerland 5-3 in their lone Olympic meeting in 2022. Frederik Storm set the pace in Beijing with two goals and an assist. But right now, all that matters is what happens on Sunday.

BOXSCORE
1st Period
09:23 – 🇨🇭 GOAL – Niederreiter (Moser, Fiala)
12:47 – 🇨🇭 GOAL – Jäger (Knak, Riat)
16:39 – 🇩🇰 PEN – Russell, slashing
17:23 – 🇨🇭 PP GOAL – Niederreiter (Malgin, Kukan)

2nd Period
22:38 – 🇨🇭 PEN – Siegenthaler, roughing
22:38 – 🇩🇰 PEN – Aagaard, roughing
23:19 – 🇨🇭 PEN – Malgin, tripping
23:54 – 🇨🇭 PEN – Bertschy, hooking
28:50 – 🇩🇰 PEN – Jensen Aabo, holding
37:38 – 🇨🇭 GOAL – Malgin (Meier)
38:24 – 🇨🇭 PEN – Fiala, boarding
39:13 – 🇩🇰 PEN – Russell, interference

3rd Period
44:48 – 🇨🇭 GOAL – Schmid (Bertschy, Siegenthaler)
49:48 – 🇨🇭 PEN – Baechler, tripping
52:02 – 🇨🇭 GOAL – Riat (Bertschy)
52:02 – 🇩🇰 PEN – team, delay of game
53:26 – 🇨🇭 PP GOAL – Moy (Schmid, Meier)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇨🇭 Genoni (17-17)
L: 🇩🇰 Dichow (22-27), Dahm (5-7)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇨🇭 8+11+15 = 34
🇩🇰 6+7+4 = 17

ROSTERS
🇨🇭 Goaltenders: Stéphane Charlin, Leonardo Genoni. Defence: Tim Berni, Michael Fora, Andrea Glauser (C), Dean Kukan, Christian Marti, Janis Moser, Jonas Siegenthaler (A). Forwards: Andres Ambühl, Sven Andrighetto (A), Nicolas Baechler, Christoph Bertschy, Kevin Fiala, Ken Jäger, Simon Knak, Denis Malgin, Timo Meier, Tyler Moy, Nino Niederreiter, Damien Riat, Sandro Schmid.
🇩🇰 Goaltenders: Sebastian Dahm, Frederik Dichow. Defence: Phillip Bruggisser, Jesper Jensen Aabo (C), Nicholas Jensen, Anders Koch, Matias Lassen, Markus Lauridsen, Oliver Lauridsen (A). Forwards: Mikael Aagaard, Mathias Bau, Joachim Blichfeld, Nikolaj Ehlers, Mathias From, Nicklas Jensen, Oskar Mølgaard, Nick Olesen, Morten Poulsen, Patrick Russell (A), Jonas Røndbjerg, Alexander True, Christian Wejse.

Article Credit: IIHF Worlds 2025
Photo Credit: IIHF Worlds 2025 – IIHF – HHOF – IOC