With its 5-2 victory against Norway, Switzerland entered the World Cup perfectly. Romain Loeffel and Nino Niederreiter each scored 2 points, while Roman Josi has already been there. RTSsport.ch gives you its stars of the match.
1st star: Romain Loeffel
Romain Loeffel started his sixth World Cup particularly well. The 33-year-old Chaux-de-Fonnier scored 2 points against Norway, each time in key moments. The CP Berne defender first found a superb deep pass for Nino Niederreiter, who then served Sven Andrighetto for the opener (12th).
The former Friborg player then gave Switzerland the advantage again at the start of the second third with a master shot from the blue line that a Scandinavian may have slightly deflected. Lined up in a duo with Jonas Siegenthaler, the routine from Neuchâtel delivered a very solid performance.
2nd star: Roman Josi
Although he only has one assist on Sven Senteler’s 3-1 (29th), Roman Josi has nevertheless already demonstrated his importance in the Swiss collective. The 33-year-old Bernese reassured his teammates, as when he made up for Andrea Glauser’s mistake in two skates, author of a completely missed restart offering a two-on-one to the Norwegians in the 39th.
The Swiss captain also brought his skating quality during phases of offensive domination. For example, he made a double turn around the Norwegian zone in the 36th minute which offered big shooting opportunities to Andrea Glauser and Sven Senteler. With less than 48 hours having passed since his arrival in Prague, Roman Josi is still in the running-in phase, which suggests good prospects for the future.
3rd star: Nino Niederreiter
Nino Niederreiter could have been the unfortunate hero of this match in the 45th minute when he sent an opponent into the boards from behind. Fortunately for him, his very limited charge went unpunished by the arbitration quartet. A few minutes later, the Winnipeg striker found the fault in power play to definitively seal the Swiss victory (52nd).
Already assisting Romain Loeffel’s 1-0, “El Niño” also obtained 2 points against Norway even though he has only just joined the selection. A very good introduction on his part.
The flop of the match: the endings of thirds
Dominant during the vast majority of the match, Switzerland struggled to maintain its best level at the end of the period. In the first third, the Helvetians conceded Markus Vikingstad’s equalizer in the 15th before breaking out in a cold sweat in the 19th, when the Norwegians created a triple opportunity that could have allowed them to take the lead.
The Scandinavians also put their noses to the window (more timidly) at the end of the middle third, but it was especially from the 56th minute that they were able to benefit from the best chances, when Philipp Kurashev received two consecutive penalties which allowed Michael Brandsegg-Nygard to reduce the score (59th).
Fact of the match: 16,617 spectators present in Prague
Czechs are passionate about hockey. The fact has been known for a long time, but the presence of 16,617 spectators at the Prague Arena on a Friday afternoon for a match between Switzerland and Norway can only confirm their reputation. It is true that this match constitutes the opening of the World Cup and a nice appetizer for the host country’s entry into contention this evening against Finland (to be followed live from 8:20 p.m. on RTSsport.ch).
The Czech supporters were also helped by the great cohort of Swiss fans present in Prague. The Swiss not only set the mood throughout the meeting, but they also colored the city beforehand while sympathizing with their hosts.
From Prague, Bastien Trottet – @BastienTrottet
