photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDRE RINGUETTE
Switzerland secured a second win in two days at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. But while the tournament host took the points in Zurich, Latvian goalie Kristers Gudlevskis collected many of the plaudits.
The 33-year-old, at his eighth World Championship, faced down some intense Swiss pressure to keep his team in the contest for rather longer than the balance of play would suggest. He finished with 39 saves in a losing cause.
Even after Timo Meier made the breakthrough midway through the second period, Latvia tied it up on a Rudolfs Balcers effort. But Damien Riat’s power play goal restored the lead before the intermission and the third period saw the host close out a 4-2 victory.
“I think our battle intensity was the key,” said Switzerland’s Simon Knak. “We won a lot of battles. We wanted the puck all over the ice, and in the end, we found a way to score important goals.”
Janis Moser was happy to come away with the win. “The most important thing is the result, and we got the result we wanted,” he said. “We felt in control for most of the game. Against these opponents, it’s always a tough ask. It’s always important to just play your game for 60 minutes, and I’d say we did that for most of it.”
The first period was goalless, but not without incident. As expected, the Swiss had the better of the play and came closest to breaking the deadlock. Nino Niederreiter twice went close – his second attempt, just before the intermission, dinged the bar after emerging from behind the net. Gudlevskis also made a confident save, advancing to the top of his crease to face down the onrushing Roman Josi as the Preds defender was in full flight.
Although Latvia was on the back foot for long spells, the outsider had its chances as well. The best of them came midway through the frame when wily veteran Martins Dzierkals carved a path to the Swiss net, only to be denied by Sandro Aeschlimann. The 31-year-old Swiss goalie was making his first World Championship appearance since 2022.
The second period saw Switzerland turn up the heat. Helped by an early power play, the home team completely dominated the action. Gudlevskis came under intense pressure, making save after save to frustrate a powerful opponent. When the goalie was beaten, teenager defender Alberts Smits got in front of a Timo Meier shot and did enough to deflect it to safety.
Latvian defender Oskars Batna was full of praise for his goalie’s efforts. “He’s a big, fast goalie, and kind of really calm. He has so much experience already from everywhere in the world, in the NHL and the Olympics, whatever.
“He has so much confidence since he has been around, and there’s nothing new for him. He knows his strengths.”
But, after 30 saves, Gudlevskis yielded midway through the game. Ironically, it came after a rare Latvian foray into Swiss territory. That enabled a quick attack that ended with Nico Hischier’s feed through the slot for Meier to shoot home.
Game over, right?
Not so fast. Latvia had barely registered a shot in the middle frame, but responded almost immediately. Sandis Vilmanis sent the puck down the right, Deniss Smirnovs provided the outlet and found a saucer pass for Rudolfs Balcers to produce a beautiful finish past Aeschlimann.
But late in the second period a Swiss power play restored the lead. Slick passing opened the Latvian defence, and at the foot of the circle Sven Andrighetto sold a shot with his eyes, only to dish off a feed for Damien Riat, leaving Gudlevskis with no chance.
Even then, Latvia wasn’t done. Aeschlimann made a big save just before the hooter to deny Arturs Andzans. That stop gained even more value at the start of the third when Dean Kukan made it 3-1 and gave the Swiss some much needed breathing space.
Then Kukan turned provider, starting the play that led to Riat banging home the second off a delicious feed from Simon Knak to put the game beyond Latvia’s reach. A power play for the Baltic nation did see the puck in the Swiss net once more, but Villmanis was denied a goal by a bench challenge that found an offside in the build-up.
A power play in the last minute did bring a legitimate second goal for Balcers with 14 seconds left to play but could not change the outcome.
Both teams play Germany next. Latvia is back in action on Sunday evening, while Switzerland has a day off before facing the Germans on Monday.
The 33-year-old, at his eighth World Championship, faced down some intense Swiss pressure to keep his team in the contest for rather longer than the balance of play would suggest. He finished with 39 saves in a losing cause.
Even after Timo Meier made the breakthrough midway through the second period, Latvia tied it up on a Rudolfs Balcers effort. But Damien Riat’s power play goal restored the lead before the intermission and the third period saw the host close out a 4-2 victory.
“I think our battle intensity was the key,” said Switzerland’s Simon Knak. “We won a lot of battles. We wanted the puck all over the ice, and in the end, we found a way to score important goals.”
Janis Moser was happy to come away with the win. “The most important thing is the result, and we got the result we wanted,” he said. “We felt in control for most of the game. Against these opponents, it’s always a tough ask. It’s always important to just play your game for 60 minutes, and I’d say we did that for most of it.”
The first period was goalless, but not without incident. As expected, the Swiss had the better of the play and came closest to breaking the deadlock. Nino Niederreiter twice went close – his second attempt, just before the intermission, dinged the bar after emerging from behind the net. Gudlevskis also made a confident save, advancing to the top of his crease to face down the onrushing Roman Josi as the Preds defender was in full flight.
Although Latvia was on the back foot for long spells, the outsider had its chances as well. The best of them came midway through the frame when wily veteran Martins Dzierkals carved a path to the Swiss net, only to be denied by Sandro Aeschlimann. The 31-year-old Swiss goalie was making his first World Championship appearance since 2022.
The second period saw Switzerland turn up the heat. Helped by an early power play, the home team completely dominated the action. Gudlevskis came under intense pressure, making save after save to frustrate a powerful opponent. When the goalie was beaten, teenager defender Alberts Smits got in front of a Timo Meier shot and did enough to deflect it to safety.
Latvian defender Oskars Batna was full of praise for his goalie’s efforts. “He’s a big, fast goalie, and kind of really calm. He has so much experience already from everywhere in the world, in the NHL and the Olympics, whatever.
“He has so much confidence since he has been around, and there’s nothing new for him. He knows his strengths.”
But, after 30 saves, Gudlevskis yielded midway through the game. Ironically, it came after a rare Latvian foray into Swiss territory. That enabled a quick attack that ended with Nico Hischier’s feed through the slot for Meier to shoot home.
Game over, right?
Not so fast. Latvia had barely registered a shot in the middle frame, but responded almost immediately. Sandis Vilmanis sent the puck down the right, Deniss Smirnovs provided the outlet and found a saucer pass for Rudolfs Balcers to produce a beautiful finish past Aeschlimann.
But late in the second period a Swiss power play restored the lead. Slick passing opened the Latvian defence, and at the foot of the circle Sven Andrighetto sold a shot with his eyes, only to dish off a feed for Damien Riat, leaving Gudlevskis with no chance.
Even then, Latvia wasn’t done. Aeschlimann made a big save just before the hooter to deny Arturs Andzans. That stop gained even more value at the start of the third when Dean Kukan made it 3-1 and gave the Swiss some much needed breathing space.
Then Kukan turned provider, starting the play that led to Riat banging home the second off a delicious feed from Simon Knak to put the game beyond Latvia’s reach. A power play for the Baltic nation did see the puck in the Swiss net once more, but Villmanis was denied a goal by a bench challenge that found an offside in the build-up.
A power play in the last minute did bring a legitimate second goal for Balcers with 14 seconds left to play but could not change the outcome.
Both teams play Germany next. Latvia is back in action on Sunday evening, while Switzerland has a day off before facing the Germans on Monday.
Switzerland vs Latvia - 2026 IIHF Men's World Championship
OF