© Rob Gray
Kevin Fiala and Team Switzerland emphatically punched their ticket to the gold medal game by crushing Denmark 7-0 in the semi-finals. The Swiss find themselves in the finals for the second straight year and continue their quest for Switzerland’s first ever gold medal in IIHL World Championship play.
“We are like a family. We love each other,” confided Fiala to Radio Televison Suisse. “I was MVP last year and things went well for me. But the most important thing is that we win.”
After joining his compatriots following the end of the LA Kings’ playoff run, Fiala has three goals and seven assists in seven games alongside follow Swiss NHL-ers Timo Meier, Nino Niederreiter, and Nico Hischier. Of Fiala’s three goals, two have come on the power play. The man advantage has been a particular strong point for the Swiss throughout the tournament, clicking at 34% (11 for 32). Scoring in general hasn’t really been a problem for Switzerland either as they lead all tournament teams in shooting percentage at 16% (47 GF on 245 SOG). The Swiss have also benefited from outstanding goaltending throughout the tournament, having already recorded five shutouts heading into the final.
However, ff Switzerland plans on winning it all, they will have to do it without Hischier (New Jersey Devils), who sustained an injury against Germany. They will also have their hands full with an American side that made surprisingly quick work of Sweden, 6-2 in the other semi-final. Team USA is currently on a 92-year gold medal drought in this competition and has not made it to the final since 1934.
Both teams met earlier in the preliminary round on May 12th, with the Swiss coming out with a convincing 3-0 win over the USA. The Americans have sometimes been hit or miss during the tournament, losing to Switzerland in regulation and needing overtime to beat Norway (6-5) but at the same time beating defending champions Czechia (5-2).
The goal medal game is shaping up to be a classic tale of offense versus defense: the US has scored the second highest number of goals in the tournament (38), while the Swiss have given up the fewest (7). In any event, one of these nations has a chance to do something extremely significant on May 25th: the USA can finally end its 92-year gold medal drought or the Swiss can finally add a gold medal to their three silver medals. Both compelling reasons to tune in this game if you can.