Olympic roster hopes ride on the Euro Hockey Tour. Czechia and Sweden claim opening wins in pre-Olympic international contests.
The Swiss Hockey Games opened on two fronts on Thursday: Zurich, Switzerland and Liberec, Czechia. This is the second of four stops on the 2025-26 Euro Hockey Tour. More importantly, it is the last chance for staff and management of the four competing teams – Czechia, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland – to evaluate European-based talent in an international setting before naming their Olympic rosters.
On Thursday, Czechia defeated Finland 3-1 and Sweden edged Switzerland 3-2 in a shootout. The rest of the tournament will be played in Zurich on Saturday and Sunday.
Click here for Czechia’s roster
Click here for Finland’s roster
Click here for Sweden’s roster
Click here for Switzerland’s roster
Czechia 3 – Finland 1 (0-0, 1-0, 2-1)
The day after his 40th birthday, Roman Červenka registered a goal and an assist to lead the Czechs to victory before 7,088 fans at Home Credit Arena in Liberec. Following a scoreless first period, Červenka opened the scoring in the 27th minute by putting a nice re-direction on Filip Chlapík’s shot. Early in the third, Červenka’s point shot was blocked, but he picked up a secondary assist when Ondřej Kaše eventually put in the loose puck.
Defenseman Robin Salo got one goal back for Finland on a one-timer and Sakari Manninen appeared to tie it a minute later but it was called back upon video review determining the puck had been kicked in. Lukáš Rousek put it away with a last-minute empty-netter.
Finland outshot Czechia 27-17 in the game but Dominik Pavlát was steady in the Czech goal.
Switzerland 2 – Sweden 3 (2-1, 0-0, 0-1, 0-0, 0-1 )
Rickard Hugg and Felix Nilsson opened and closed the shootout with goals to send the Zurich crowd home unhappy on the opening night of the Swiss Hockey Games. Damien Riat had two points for Switzerland in a losing cause.
Twice the Swiss took the lead in the first period on power-play goals by Tyler Moy and Riat. Pär Lindholm answered quickly for Sweden in the fifth minute, but it took until early in the third before André Petersson made it 2-2 off a 3-on-2 rush early in the third. The Swiss got a couple of late power plays, including one that carried over into overtime, but were unable to score a third time.
Midway through the second period, Switzerland’s Andrea Glauser was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing.
Preds Prospect Felix Nilsson Named to Sweden’s EHT Roster
Team Sweden has announced its roster for the Euro Hockey Tour tournament in Switzerland, featuring several returning veterans and Nashville Predators prospect Felix Nilsson’s senior debut.