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Ice hockey-Swiss end Denmark fairytale 7-0 to reach world championship final

Ice hockey-Swiss end Denmark fairytale 7-0 to reach world championship final

Straits Times24-05-2025

Ice Hockey - IIHF World Championships - Semi Final - Switzerland v Denmark - Avicii Arena, Johanneshov, Sweden - May 24, 2025 General view after the match Magnus Lejhall/TT News Agency via REUTERS
STOCKHOLM - Switzerland secured a 7-0 victory to bring Denmark's fairytale run to an end on Saturday and reach the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship final against the United States.
Just 48 hours after the Danes made ice hockey history by defeating powerhouse Canada, the Swiss ruthlessly ended their dreams with a precision performance.
Nino Niederreiter, Switzerland's highest-profile hockey export thanks to his NHL career with the Winnipeg Jets, scored the first goal of the night. However, it was reviewed for almost five minutes due to the puck appearing to hit his foot, yet it rebounded off his shin pad unintentionally.
Ken Jager continued the first-period attack by scoring after a swift run that ended with the puck bouncing off the shoulder of Denmark's Markus Lauridsen and into the net. Niederreiter netted his second to establish a 3–0 lead for Switzerland.
Switzerland's offensive barrage continued when Denis Malgin scored a fourth with a moment of individual brilliance, netting his first goal of the tournament after 2:22 in the second period.
Earlier in the third, Sandro Schmid — recovering from taking a puck to the face in the first period — got the fifth, and the Swiss thought they had a sixth when Jonas Siegenthaler scored an impressive effort, but it was disallowed for offside.
Damien Riat and Tyler Moy found the net to seal the victory as Denmark's hopes evaporated.
Switzerland will face Team USA in Sunday's final after the Americans hammered Sweden 6-2 earlier on Saturday.
"The Swiss are a great team. We were hoping for a tighter game. We got off to a really tough start. Now we just have to forget about this game. Tomorrow, we want to make history and win the bronze medal. We have to put a smile on our faces," Dane captain Jesper Jensen Aabo said after the match.
Denmark will have a chance for redemption when they face their fellow co-hosts, Sweden, in the bronze medal match on Sunday. REUTERS
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