Czechia overcame deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to defeat Switzerland 6-2 in the first quarter-finals at 3M Arena at Mariucci this afternoon to advance to the semi-finals. The Swiss go home after a solid run but without a medal.

The last Swiss victory over the Czechs at the World Juniors was December 27, 2016 (six losses since).

Petr Sikora and Jiri Klima led the attack, each with a goal and two assists.

"I feel like we played really well for two periods, maybe two and a half," said Czechia forward Matej Kubiesa. "Our start was a little shaky, but we got going and then we were unstoppable."

"I thought we played well in the first period but then there were about ten minutes in the second period when then scored four goals," noted Jamiro Reber of Switzerland. "We have to learn from this. At the end of the day, you want to win, and we didn't. It's frustrating. We weren't making plays any more. We were just chipping the puck out. They won the battles in front of the net. That's why they scored."

The Swiss struck first in a period that featured their particular and successful defence. They got the first power play of the game, and although they failed to score they cashed in just eight seconds later. 
 

Leon Muggli’s long shot from the point went through a tangle of players in front and beat Michal Orsulak under the blocker at 3:47. But much of the period was played outside the Czech blue line. All the same, the Swiss played flawlessly in all parts of the ice. They stood tall at centre to impede the Czech speed, and in their own end they blocked shots with reckless abandon. And when all else failed, Christian Kirsch was letter perfect in goal.

The Czechs earned one power play in the period, but the Swiss also showed off their sensational penalty killing, which has not allowed a goal in 14 short-handed situations, including this chance.

That all changed in the second period when the Czechs came out with grater purpose, fired 19 shots at Kirsch, and scored three times. They wanted no time in tying the game, making it 1-1 at 53 seconds off a high shot from Tomas Galvas.

The Swiss took the lead six minutes later on the power play. Jonah Neuenschwander found Jamiro Reber to the back of the play, and he redirected the hard pass into the open corner. 

But it was all Czechia after that. They tied it 2-2 at 10:28 after Samuel Drancak took a pass from Matej Kubiesa and came out front. He fired a shot five-hole that squeezed through Kirsch’s pads and in.

Just 44 seconds later, they took their first lead after Kirsch was slow to get back to his line after directing a save into the corner. Adam Jiricek got to the puck and fired from a bad angle in one motion, scoring his fourth goal of the tournament.

And then they pulled away. Vojtech Cihar drove to the net, and although Kirsch stopped him a juicy rebound came right to Petr Sikora, and he capitalized at 15:32. In the third, they scored just as a Swiss penalty expired. Jiri Klima snapped a quick shot from the slot before Kirsch could react.

Jakub Fibigr added another power-play goal at 17:37.