Pius Suter (center) joined Denis Malgin (left) among the scorers in the World Cup dress rehearsal
Keystone
The Swiss conclude their preparations for the home World Championships with a clear victory. Jan Cadieux’s team defeated the Czech Republic 6:1 in the third game in Ängelholm as part of the Euro Hockey Tour.
The basis for the victory was an early double strike: in the 5th minute, Simon Knak put the Swiss in front after a wonderful assist from Ken Jäger, 56 seconds later Pius Suter increased the lead to 2:0. Sven Andrighetto provided the first assist on the second goal. The ZSC Lions forward, who was playing his first game since suffering a concussion on March 25, also made it 4:1 in the 54th minute on the power play. After that, the Czechs broke the dams and Denis Malgin (55th, in double overtime) and Christoph Bertschy (58th) also scored.
Suter was the only NHL player to play for the Swiss – Roman Josi, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Nino Niederreiter were rested. Nevertheless, the hosts largely controlled the game and allowed little defensively. Attilio Biasca made it 3:0 after exactly 33 minutes, before Denis Malgin hit the crossbar shortly afterwards. The Swiss conceded their only goal while short-handed after a shot by Jan Mandat in the 37th minute, although the goal did not seem unstoppable for goalkeeper Sandro Aeschlimann.
In the fourth and final tournament of the Euro Hockey Tour this season, Switzerland has won as many games as in the first three combined. On Thursday, the team defeated Finland 5:4 on penalties. So the home World Cup can come. In the first game in Zurich on May 15, defending champions USA will be the opponents in a rematch of last year’s World Championship final.
Telegram:
Switzerland – Czech Republic 6:1 (2:0, 1:1, 3:0)
Ängelholm. – 1599 spectators. – Referees Folkstrand/Österberg, Hanning/Strömberg. – Goals: 5. (4:33) Knak (Jäger, Riat) 1:0. 6. (5:29) Suter (Andrighetto, Malgin) 2:0. 33. Biasca (Bertschy, Rochette) 3:0. 36. Mandat (Cibulka, Melovsky/Exclusion Baechler) 3:1. 54. Andrighetto (Malgin, Kukan/exclusion Beranek) 4:1. 55. Malgin (Suter, Egli/exclusion Klapka) 5:1. 58. Bertschy (Rochette) 6:1. – Penalties: 3 times 2 minutes against Switzerland, 6 times 2 minutes against the Czech Republic.
Switzerland: Aeschlimann; Egli, Berni; Kukan, Marti; Chanton, Frick; Heldner, Seiler; Suter, Malgin, Andrighetto; Bertschy, Rochette, Biasca; Riat, Jäger, Knak; Moy, Baechler, Frehner.
Czech Republic: Kvaca; Hovorka, Cibulka; Alscher, Tichacek; Zabransky, Hajek; Scotka, Pyrochta; Mandat, Cernoch, Beranek; Kaut, Melovsky, Kubalik; Sikora, Kavarcik, Pavlik; Klapka, Reichel, Kunc.
Remarks: Switzerland without Berra, Josi, Jung, Hischier, Meier, Niederreiter, Thürkauf (all overtime) and Genoni (substitute goalie). – Shots on goal: 16. Kunc. 35. Malgin. – Shots: Switzerland 27 (7-9-11); Czech Republic 20 (9-7-4). – Powerplay output: Switzerland 2/5; Czech Republic 1