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Switzerland shuts out Germany

Germans face Russia, Swiss get Finns in quarters

Published 23.04.2013 21:27 GMT+4 | Author Adam Steiss
Switzerland shuts out Germany
SOCHI, RUSSIA - APRIL 23: Germany's Denis Shevyrin #8 is up in the air while trying to bodycheck Switzerland's Marc Aeschlimann #19 during preliminary round action at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Matthew Murnaghan/HHOF-IIHF Images)
With a loss meaning a matchup against Group A leaders and tournament hosts Russia, Switzerland and Germany played hard for the third playoff seed.

But it was the Swiss special teamers who came through, scoring two power play goals in the first and second periods on their way to claiming the third seed in Group B 3-0.

Switzerland outshot the Germans 31-17. Denis Malgin had a goal and assisted on another, and goaltender Nicola Aeberhard made 17 saves in the shutout effort and was selected as the Player of the Game for the Swiss.

The win came on the heels of a 10-1 blowout to Canada, and credit the Swiss for refocusing and playing a strong game before heading to the palyfodd round.  

"We knew the Germans would be strong but we were able to have a good start," said Aeberhard. "After last night I put the Canada game out of my head and was able to refocus adn have a good game tonight."

Switzerland opened the game with some heavy offensive pressure, managing to break through at 12:00 when goaltender Kevin Reich gave up a rebound to Luca Hischier who batted it in with a backhand.

The team in red and white added another seven minutes into the second period. With Erik Gollenbeck in the penalty box on a hooking call, Swiss captain Phil Baltisberger mad a great cross-ice pass to 16-year-old Denis Malgin. Malgin, one of the youngest players in the tournament, scored his second U18 goal.

Down 2-0 in the third, Germany tried to get itself back into the game but couldn’t solve Aeberhard despite a having a couple of power plays. 

"I though Switzerland just outbattled us, they were stornger on the puck than we were," said German forward Leon Draisatl. "I won't use it as an excuse but obviously playing two games in a row was tough for us."

The Swiss on the other hand put an exclamation point on their win when Pius Suter went to the German net on a two on one and made a nifty backhand pass to Janik Moser coming in late on the play. Moser fired the puck straight into the top corner for the 3-0 lead.

"We played a quick game, got good breakouts," said Moser. "They place themselves very well in the defensive zone so we knew we had to put pucks on the net. Then before the third period our coach said he had to hold them to zero for (Aeberhard)."

With the loss, the Germans will be the fourth seed in Group B and will play Russia in the quarter-finals, while Switzerland will face Finland. Both games are on Thursday.