This is the dream scenario for the hosts. At Arena Ceske Budejovice, coach Carla MacLeod’s team will play for its third medal in the last four years. And who knows what colour that medal might be?
Versus the winless Swiss in Thursday's third quarter-final, Czechia's key attackers shone. Natalie Mlynkova scored her first three goals of these Women's Worlds, and Kristyna Kaltounkova and Tereza Vanisova stepped up with a goal and two assists apiece. Daniela Pejsova and Denisa Krizova had a goal and an assist apiece, while Katerina Mrazova added two helpers. The Czechs were efficient, firing just 22 shots on net. Their power play went 2-for-3.
"I'm so proud of this team!" Pejsova said. "There was really a team effort in this game. All the things we said before the game, we did, and that's how we won. We played as one, and that's the key to success."
Goalie Klara Peslarova shut out the Swiss for the second time in this tournament, recording 14 stops.
Of the likelihood of facing the Americans in the semi-finals after falling 4-0 to them in the group stage, Kaltounkova said: "I feel like the way we battled with them in the first game was the way to go. So, just go back to our roots. Go back to what we know how to do, not get too cocky, and handle it with grace and hard work. And I think we're going to like where we end up with that."
The Czechs have had Switzerland’s number so far in the 2020’s – above and beyond their 3-0 preliminary-round win and this quarter-final triumph. It was the Swiss that Czechia defeated to capture both their Women’s Worlds bronze medals (4-2 in 2022 in Herning, 3-2 in 2023 in Brampton).
It was a tough night for Switzerland’s big names. Swiss captain Lara Stalder returned to the lineup after being sidelined for the last two games, but couldn’t provide an offensive boost. Neither could Boston Fleet star Alina Muller, who scored the lone Swiss goal in the group stage. Both snipers struggled defensively. Meanwhile, starting goalie Andrea Braendli was pulled after allowing five goals on 10 first-period shots.
"We knew what was coming in the top group," Stalder said. "I thought we battled well against the top teams in the world. We know how to play them, and we know how to play structured defensively. But our biggest mistake is that if we get one [goal against us], we lose it. And we get not just one but two or three goals against us and it’s hard to bounce back from that. That sums it up."
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Just past the seven-minute mark, Czechia had a stellar chance to open the scoring on a three-way passing play on the rush. But Tereza Pistekova put the puck off the side of the net.
It wouldn’t matter. Switzerland’s hopes were shattered within a span of less than two minutes.
The hockey gods were on Czechia’s side when Pejsova got the first goal at 11:47. The puck came around to the Boston Fleet blueliner at the right point, and she stepped in to slide a shot along the ice that deflected off a Swiss defender and through Braendli’s pads.
Just 1:28 later, Mlynkova made it 2-0 on the power play. Kaltounkova was a force, winning the offensive zone draw, getting into the right faceoff circle, and firing a howitzer off captain Aneta Tejralova's set-up. Mlynkova was there to put the rebound past Braendli.
Twenty-five seconds later, it was 3-0 Czechia. Pejsova fired the puck off the back boards, and it bounced to Krizova, who dished it in front for an unguarded Vanisova to pop in.
With the game rapidly slipping out of reach, Swiss coach Colin Muller called his timeout to regroup. But the Czechs continued dominating the play. With 1:47 left, Mrazova’s line got dancing in the Swiss zone, and 18-year-old Adela Sapovalivova fed Kaltounkova in the faceoff circle for a sweet one-timer and a 4-0 lead.
Pejsova praised Kaltounkova, a top-10 Patty Kazmaier Award finalist with Colgate this season: "She has an amazing shot. It's a hard shot. She knows how to score goals and that's definitely helpful."
Krizova tucked home a rebound for the fifth Czech marker at 19:48. The party was in full swing now in Ceske Budejovice.
"We talked about our shooting mentality," said Krizova. "I'm glad we were able to score five goals in the first and get two more after that."
Swiss backup goalie Saskia Maurer got an easier ride in the second period, as the Czechs’ pace slowed with the game well in hand.
The Swiss had chances to spoil Peslarova’s shutout around the midway mark, but Sinja Leemann couldn’t solve her on a breakaway. Seconds later, the Swiss got the puck on the goal line, but couldn’t poke it over. It was that kind of night for Muller’s crew.
In the third period, Mlynkova made it 6-0 at 8:15 with a power play laser from the left faceoff circle. That got the Czech faithful joyfully hopping in unison once again. And hats showered the ice when Mlynkova completed her hat trick on a shorthanded breakaway at 13:41.
"I couldn't be happier for her," Kaltounkova said. "She deserves it so much. She played such a good game. She's been working really hard, and she's a great teammate. So happy she got to experience it. The crowd chanting, it's such an unbelievable and unforgettable moment. I'm sure she'll remember it forever."
Switzerland's medal drought at the Women's Worlds stretches back to 2012 (bronze). The Swiss famously won Olympic bronze in 2014 with a 15-year-old Alina Muller.
The Czechs set a new team record for the biggest margin of victory in a single Women’s Worlds game. Their only previous seven-goal game in the top division was a 7-1 romp over Hungary on 22 August, 2022.