Russians win big vs Switzerland, advance to semi-finals

In Switzerland’s first game against the Czech Republic, they fell behind early and then got their game together but were unable to capitalize on their chances. Against Russia, the Swiss played a solid first period, denying the dangerous Russians any big scoring chances before the floodgates opened in the second period.

The Russians got the first power play of the game just over a minute into the second period and went to work immediately, with the team’s two most dangerous forwards combining for the game’s opening goal. Miroshnichenko fed Matvei Michkov at the top of the right circle, and in what was almost a carbon-copy of his power-play goal yesterday against Finland, fired a wrist shot that beat Valentino Zaetta at 21:44.

Just over two minutes later it was 2-0 when Kirill Kudryatsev picked off a Swiss clearing attempt and beat Zaetta cleanly with a low wrister, and they got two more before the period was half over. On another power play, Zaetta stopped Miroshnichenko’s initial shot but Semyon Simyatkin was there to put in the rebound, and just 20 seconds later, Miroshnichenko sent Ruslan Guzizov off on a breakaway and he made no mistake, sliding th puck through the Swiss goalie’s pads.

That was the end of Zaetta’s game, with Diego Simeoni taking over but the Russians didn’t relent. Alexander Perevalov and Artyom Barabosha extended the lead to 6-0 before the middle frame finished. Miroshnichenko made it 7-0 early in the third, and Perevalov and Michkov both scored their second of the game to make it 9-0 before the Swiss finally struck.

In fact, they struck twice. Thierry Schild brok Sergei Mirashov’s shutout bid with 4:02 to play when he took a drop pass from Benjamin Quinn and fired a wrister high, glove side and then just 30 seconds later, Mattheo Reinhard finished off a Swiss rush with a low shot from in front. But it was obviously far too little, far too late, and that’s as close as they would make it.