Switzerland demolishes Norway 6-0 to reach third straight hockey world championship final on home ice
The Swiss national ice hockey team delivered a commanding 6-0 victory over surprise semi-finalists Norway in Zurich, securing a place in the World Championship final for the third year in a row.
Swiss dominance on home ice
Switzerland has stormed into the final of the men's ice hockey world championship on home ice in Zurich with a flawless record, dismantling Norway 6-0 in the semi-final. The victory marks the team's third consecutive appearance in the tournament's final, following silver medals in Prague and Stockholm. The host nation, led by new head coach Jan Cadieux, has won every game in regulation time, including a quarter-final victory over Sweden.
The semi-final unfolds
In front of a sold-out crowd of 10,000 at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich-Altstetten, the game was initially a tight, physical contest. Norway, playing in their first ever World Championship semi-final, held firm until Christoph Bertschy broke the deadlock in the 18th minute with a fine individual effort. The floodgates opened in the second period, where Switzerland's intensity and precision overwhelmed the Scandinavian underdogs.
They are on a par with us.
Denis Malgin finished a quick counter-attack to make it 2-0 in the 25th minute. Ken Jäger deflected a shot for a 3-0 lead in the 33rd minute, and Damien Riat scored on the power play just four minutes later to make it 4-0. NHL star Nico Hischier added a fifth goal in the final period before Théo Rochette completed the rout with two and a half minutes remaining.
A perfect tournament so far
Switzerland's path to the final has been impeccable. They topped their group, defeated Sweden 3-1 in the quarter-finals, and have now shut out Norway. The team's special teams have been clicking, and goaltender Leonardo Genoni recorded his 15th career World Championship shutout, never seriously threatened in the third period. The Swiss were forced to make one lineup change, with Pius Suter returning from a five-game injury absence to replace the suspended Timo Meier.
- Switzerland defeats Norway 6-0 in the semi-final in Zurich.
- Switzerland beats Sweden 3-1 in the quarter-final.
- Switzerland completes a perfect preliminary round with all wins in regulation.
Norway's historic run ends
Norway's Cinderella story came to an end, but not before they had captured the imagination of the tournament. The team had stunned the hockey world in the preliminary round in Fribourg with victories over traditional powers Czechia and Sweden, and they defeated Latvia in the quarter-finals. Despite their fighting spirit and the stellar goaltending of Henrik Haukeland, they could not match Switzerland's firepower and will now play for their first-ever World Championship medal in the bronze medal game.
The final hurdle
Switzerland will play for gold on Sunday at 20:20. Their opponent will be the winner of the second semi-final between Canada and Finland. The Swiss have reached the final five times in the last thirteen years (2013, 2018, 2024, 2025, and now 2026) but have never won the title. The nation hopes that on home ice, the team can finally capture the elusive gold medal.
