Niederreiter ignited a Swiss upset bid with a crucial goal, but a late Finnish surge shattered their Olympic dreams.
Switzerland had been counted out before the puck even dropped. Facing a rested Finnish powerhouse in the Olympic quarterfinals, the Swiss were skating the second half of a back-to-back, starting their backup goaltender and battling the weight of near-universal doubt.
Few believed they could push Finland, let alone beat them. That skepticism became their fuel and for a while, it looked like belief would carry them to a stunning upset.
After a tightly contested opening frame, Switzerland struck late in the first period with a pair of quick goals. First, Damien Riat broke the deadlock before minutes later, Winnipeg Jets forward Nino Niederreiter delivered his biggest moment of the tournament.
Entering his fifth game without a point, Niederreiter finally found the scoresheet at the most critical juncture of Switzerland’s Olympic run. Driving hard to the net, the 33-year-old buried his opportunity to give the Swiss a 2-0 lead and silence a Finnish side that had been heavily favored to advance.
It was a long-awaited breakthrough for Niederreiter, whose role had steadily grown as the tournament progressed. He logged 17:02 of ice time in a 3-0 qualification round win over Italy and followed that up with 15:11 in the quarterfinal, trusted minutes in a high stakes game that underscored his importance to the Swiss lineup.
Switzerland carried the 2-0 advantage into the third period and clung to it as Finland ramped up the pressure. With just over six minutes remaining, Finland finally solved the Swiss netminder when Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho cut the deficit in half.
Sensing momentum, the Finns pressed relentlessly. In the final minute of regulation, Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen fired a point shot through traffic that found the back of the net, stunning the Swiss and tying the game 2-2.
Three on three overtime favored the surging Finns. With open ice and confidence on their side, Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen completed the comeback, sending Finland to the semifinals and Switzerland home in devastating fashion.
For Niederreiter, the loss cuts especially deep. At 33, this tournament may represent his final Olympic appearance. What could have been a defining goal to secure Switzerland a spot in the medal round instead became a footnote in a painful collapse.
Still, his breakthrough performance offers something to build on. Niederreiter will return to Winnipeg with renewed confidence, carrying the momentum of his biggest goal of the tournament, even if it arrived in heartbreak.
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