photo: Matt Zambonin/IIHF
Switzerland defeated Hungary 2-0 in the final game of the preliminary round tonight in Membertou. It was a nail-biting and thrilling finale to the preliminary round.
Both goals came off the stick of captain Norina Muller, the second into the empty net with 19.5 seconds remaining. Norina Schrupkowski stopped 31 shots in a brilliant performance for the shutout.
"It was a great feeling to be there with my team, to win this game all together," Muller enthused. "It's just nice. It was pretty hard, but I think we managed it well, to just go and never stop moving our legs."
This was the first ever WW18 meeting between these countries and was of great significance to both teams, even though all eight in the tournament qualify for the quarter-finals. The two teams with the worst records among QF losers have to play a relegation game on Saturday, so a win tonight almost guarantees avoiding that game, barring a major upset in the playoffs.
Switzerland will now play Czechia in one quarter-finals and Hungary has the unenviable task of playing the United States in another.
"It was very hard," said Swiss coach Melanie Haefliger. "We knew that it was going to be a tough game again, and after two periods it was still 0-0. We knew that it was going to be a very hard last period. We worked hard, and then we scored the first goal and stayed calm in the defensive zone. Finally, with the empty-net goal, we were lucky to win."
"It's pretty emotional," said Hungary coach Zoltan Fodor. "I think we played really well today. We had our chances, but we couldn't score. It's tough, but that's part of the game. We have to take it, and we have to be stronger and better every single day. That's why we are here."
The opening period was back and forth with few scoring chances, but Schrupkowski was definitely the busier and more impressive in keeping the game goalless after 20 minutes.
Both teams had one power play. The Swiss advantage didn’t amount to much, but the Hungarians moved the puck around smartly with their 5-on-4 opportunity.
Hungary dominated the second period and created most of the best scoring chances again. Reka Hiezl tried to split the defence and drew a penalty midway through the period, and soon after the Swiss took another minor, giving Hungary a 5-on-3 for a minute. They had possession and created some chances but couldn’t get that one perfect scoring opportunity.
Shots favoured Hungary, 13-7, but Schrupkowski was letter perfect. Early in the third, her teammates finally gave her something to work with. Muller brought the puck out of the corner, circled in front, and fired a shot over the glove of Takacs at 3:17 to give the Swiss a 1-0 lead.
It wasn't just the first goal of the game; it was the first goal of the entire tournament for the Swiss, and it couldn't have come at a more opportune time.
"I had the puck behind the goal, I think, and then I came out," Muller explained. "I cut in the middle, and then I got a shot and it went in."
But Hungary had a great chance to tie soon after on a bad giveaway in the Swiss end. Szonja Szalai went in alone but was stopped by Schrupkowski to preserve the lead.
"We feel really bad," added goalie Zoe Takacs, "because I think we did our best and it was not enough. The Switzerland team played really well. Their goalie was so good. We couldn't score a goal against her."
Both goals came off the stick of captain Norina Muller, the second into the empty net with 19.5 seconds remaining. Norina Schrupkowski stopped 31 shots in a brilliant performance for the shutout.
"It was a great feeling to be there with my team, to win this game all together," Muller enthused. "It's just nice. It was pretty hard, but I think we managed it well, to just go and never stop moving our legs."
This was the first ever WW18 meeting between these countries and was of great significance to both teams, even though all eight in the tournament qualify for the quarter-finals. The two teams with the worst records among QF losers have to play a relegation game on Saturday, so a win tonight almost guarantees avoiding that game, barring a major upset in the playoffs.
Switzerland will now play Czechia in one quarter-finals and Hungary has the unenviable task of playing the United States in another.
"It was very hard," said Swiss coach Melanie Haefliger. "We knew that it was going to be a tough game again, and after two periods it was still 0-0. We knew that it was going to be a very hard last period. We worked hard, and then we scored the first goal and stayed calm in the defensive zone. Finally, with the empty-net goal, we were lucky to win."
"It's pretty emotional," said Hungary coach Zoltan Fodor. "I think we played really well today. We had our chances, but we couldn't score. It's tough, but that's part of the game. We have to take it, and we have to be stronger and better every single day. That's why we are here."
The opening period was back and forth with few scoring chances, but Schrupkowski was definitely the busier and more impressive in keeping the game goalless after 20 minutes.
Both teams had one power play. The Swiss advantage didn’t amount to much, but the Hungarians moved the puck around smartly with their 5-on-4 opportunity.
Hungary dominated the second period and created most of the best scoring chances again. Reka Hiezl tried to split the defence and drew a penalty midway through the period, and soon after the Swiss took another minor, giving Hungary a 5-on-3 for a minute. They had possession and created some chances but couldn’t get that one perfect scoring opportunity.
Shots favoured Hungary, 13-7, but Schrupkowski was letter perfect. Early in the third, her teammates finally gave her something to work with. Muller brought the puck out of the corner, circled in front, and fired a shot over the glove of Takacs at 3:17 to give the Swiss a 1-0 lead.
It wasn't just the first goal of the game; it was the first goal of the entire tournament for the Swiss, and it couldn't have come at a more opportune time.
"I had the puck behind the goal, I think, and then I came out," Muller explained. "I cut in the middle, and then I got a shot and it went in."
But Hungary had a great chance to tie soon after on a bad giveaway in the Swiss end. Szonja Szalai went in alone but was stopped by Schrupkowski to preserve the lead.
"We feel really bad," added goalie Zoe Takacs, "because I think we did our best and it was not enough. The Switzerland team played really well. Their goalie was so good. We couldn't score a goal against her."
Hungary vs Switzerland - 2026 IIHF U18 Women's Worlds Championship
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