Switzerland pulls off bigger upset — over Canada
TORINO, Italy (AP) — The greatest Olympic upset in Swiss hockey history stood for all of two days. This was bigger, better, more impossible still. Beat Canada? How could they? Some of Switzerland’s players felt it couldn’t happen and, after it did, they were at a loss to explain. But, proving a team concept sometimes can overcome even a vast disadvantage in talent, Switzerland stunned defending Olympic champion Canada on Saturday with a 2-0 victory that shook up the men’s hockey tournament at the Torino Games.
On Thursday, Switzerland shocked the hockey world in defeating the defending world champion Czech Republic as goaltender David Aebischer of the Colorado Avalanche stood on his head for 60 minutes. Since no one would ever have predicted much for the Swiss, they could have lived off that victory alone and considered their Olympic experience a rousing success. After all, they’re not going to win a medal, right? What could the Swiss possibly do to top beating the Czech Republic, arguably the greatest victory in Swiss hockey history? Well, how about beating Canada? Nah…that could never happen…could it?
Canada was bigger, faster, and far more talented than Switzerland, so how were the Swiss able to pull off a 2-0 upset? Well, it helped having yet another goaltender, this time the Carolina Hurricanes’ Martin Gerber, stand on his head for 60 minutes. Canada outshot the Swiss 49-18, and in the third period alone Gerber stopped 24 Canadian shots.
For a team so severely outmanned and outgunned,Switzerland played a very aggressive game. In doing so, they gave up a ton of odd-man scoring chances to Canada, but Gerber was up to the task, and the Canadians were never able to crack the Swiss defense. Sometimes, you just run into a hot goalie, and today was one of those days for Canada. It certainly helped Switzerland’s cause that they happened to take advantage of the few mistakes the Canadians made. It’s not like Canada played poorly, either. They played a fairly solid, if unspectacular, game. If not for the over-the-top performance of Martin Gerber, Canada would have won comfortably.
Beating the Czech Republic was upset enough, but in beating Canada a scant two days later, the Swiss have succeeded in beating the top two teams in the world…and they looked formidable in doing so. This is not the Republic of Bumfuckistan anymore; these guys are good. I still don’t think that anyone seriously considers Switzerland to be a medal contender, but you can bet that no one will be taking them lightly from here on in the Olympic tournament. And after beating the top two teams in the world, why not contend for a medal?
