Opening Night Thrills
The opening night of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship delivered a surprise as Switzerland edged the United States 3‑1, with Sven Andrighetto and Pius Suter each contributing two points to the score sheet.
Goaltender Leonardo Genoni turned in 19 saves, while Alex Steeves narrowed the gap for the Americans at 8:45 of the final period, and Ken Jager’s deflection off Simon Knak’s shot with 3:39 left sealed the Swiss lead.
Switzerland, which finished runner‑up in the two preceding editions, fed off a lively home crowd, hoping the early victory would propel a deeper run in the tournament.
Across the rink, Canada opened its schedule with a 5‑3 triumph over Sweden, as John Tavares, Ryan O’Reilly, Dylan Holloway, Connor Brown and Dylan Cozens all found the net.
Goaltender Jet Greaves stopped 22 shots for Canada, underscoring the team’s defensive resilience, and the roster received a boost from Sidney Crosby, who entered after his NHL club was eliminated and was subsequently named an alternate captain, replacing John Tavares as the team’s leadership anchor.
Canada, the most successful nation in the tournament with 28 titles, looks to leverage its depth and experience as the competition progresses, while Switzerland aims to build on its early momentum in front of supportive supporters.