After a goalless first period, Anna Rose gave Germany the lead on a power play goal in the 29th minute. Switzerland soon tied it up through Norina Muller and went ahead early in the third through Xenia Balzarolo.
The Swiss are no strangers to a survival battle. Since winning promotion to the top division of Women’s U18 World Championship play in 2014, Switzerland has faced seven relegation playoffs. Twice, in 2018 and 2022, Swiss survival came at Germany’s expense. Today the Germans were looking to remain in the top division, something that hasn’t happened since the country’s first relegation in 2013.
For both teams, the tournament to date had been a story of hard-working defence and goaltending, coupled with limited scoring opportunities. After playing four games each, the two had just four goals between them. Nonetheless, both could point to some positives. For Switzerland, a big performance against Slovakia in the final group game brought an overtime loss saw the host nation pick up a point in Group B. Germany, meanwhile, battled bravely in its quarterfinal before falling to the USA. The 4-0 scoreline in that game was Germany’s best against the powerful Americans.
And it was Germany that fashioned the first big chance of this relegation battle. In the fourth minute, Anna Rose found some space in the deep slot and banged in an effort that Talina Benderer could only pad away. It took a swift recovery job from three defenders to clear the danger.
However, the Swiss posed the more consistent threat in the opening frame and came closest to opening the scoring in the eighth minute. Jael Manetsch took the puck behind the net and looked to get it to the slot for the approaching Muller. Instead, it bounced off the back of German goalie Hannah Loist and almost snuck into the net. The officials reviewed the play carefully before confirming that the puck did not completely cross the line.
The breakthrough came midway through the second period. On 28:08, Switzerland took the first penalty of the game, a too many players call. Germany, not blessed with many power play chances in this tournament, seized the moment. #11 brought the puck through center ice before her diagonal feed sent Rose into the Swiss zone. With…
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