Switzerland vs Sweden in Women’s Ice Hockey in the Winter Olympics: Switzerland Wins Bronze in Overtime and Skate Into Glory

Group photo of the Swiss women's ice hockey team celebrating their Olympic success, holding medals and posing on the ice rink, with fans in the background.

In the women’s bronze medal game at Milano Cortina 2026, Switzerland edged Sweden 2–1 in overtime at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, surviving long stretches of Swedish pressure and delivering the clutch finish when it mattered most. Sweden carried much of the shot volume in regulation, but Switzerland stayed composed, defended the middle, and kept the game within reach until the breakthrough moment arrived.

The first period set the tone: fast, physical, and tight in the neutral zone, with both teams trading rushes but neither finding a clean lane to finish. Switzerland focused on structure and clearing rebounds, while Sweden tried to speed the game up with forecheck pressure—yet the scoreboard stayed frozen at 0–0 after twenty minutes.

A competitive ice hockey scene featuring a player in a white jersey with red accents falling on the ice, while another player in a blue jersey with yellow stripes reaches toward the puck.

The second period finally brought the goals that had eluded both teams in the scoreless first, turning the bronze-medal battle into a gripping back-and-forth affair. After Swiss forward Ivana Wey was denied on a penalty shot at around 6:21 stopped by Swedish goaltender Ebba Svensson Traff the deadlock broke at 11:40 when Sweden’s Mira Jungåker snapped a sharp wrist shot from the left point through traffic, beating Andrea Braendli inside the far post with assists from Hilda Svensson and Thea Johansson to give Sweden a 1-0 lead. But Switzerland refused to let the momentum slip away, responding swiftly just four minutes later at 15:40 after forcing a turnover behind the Swedish net, Alina Marti wrapped around and centered a perfect pass to Sinja Leemann, who fired it home from close range to tie the game at 1-1. The period showcased increased intensity and offensive chances, with Sweden holding a shots advantage through the frame, yet the Swiss resilience swung the pendulum right back and set the stage for a tense, defensive third period still locked in a deadlock.

The third period was a gripping display of medal-game pressure at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, with Sweden desperately pushing for a winner to claim the bronze while Switzerland absorbed wave after wave of attacks in a masterclass of defensive resilience. The Swedes generated high-danger chances and outshot the Swiss significantly (adding to their 31-18 edge by regulation’s end), but every clearance, blocked shot, and save by Andrea Braendli felt like a survival play under the weight of Olympic stakes. Switzerland countered selectively, clinging to the 1-1 tie through disciplined positioning and tenacious forechecking, refusing to crack as the clock ticked down without a single goal scored—keeping the deadlock intact and forcing the contest into a dramatic 10-minute sudden-death 3-on-3 overtime where every rush carried the potential to end the Olympics for one side in an instant.

In overtime, the wide-open ice amplified the tension into pure theater, with both teams trading end-to-end rushes that looked like they could decide the bronze at any moment, yet stellar goaltending and desperate defending kept the scoreboard frozen at 1-1 deep into the extra session. As time dwindled and a shootout loomed with just over a minute left, Alina Müller delivered the defining moment at 9:09 (with only 51 seconds remaining) she drove up ice, exchanged a crisp give-and-go with Ivana Wey, received the return pass, and flipped a high, precise shot over Ebba Svensson Traff’s glove to seal the 2-1 victory. The arena exploded from taut silence to sheer Swiss disbelief and jubilation as Müller flung off her helmet in elation, teammates poured off the bench in a chaotic, joyous pile, and the Swiss claimed their second-ever Olympic women’s hockey bronze—avoiding the shootout and turning this tight, hard-fought contest into one of the greatest bronze-medal games in women’s ice hockey history.

A hockey game scene with a goalie in a blue uniform defending the net against an opponent in a white and red jersey. The player attempting to score has the number 25 on their back, and another opponent is seen in the background.

For Switzerland, it was a win built on patience, resilience, and perfect timing—hanging in through the toughest minutes and then finishing with one decisive Olympic moment. For Sweden, it was a painful fourth-place result, but also a statement performance that showed how close they are to the podium again. The second that puck hit the net, Switzerland exploded sticks in the air, gloves flying, the whole bench flooding the ice like they’d just won the tournament. At the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, the Swiss players swarmed their hero, hugging, screaming, and collapsing into that exhausted, emotional joy only an Olympic medal can bring. It was redemption too: a squad that had fought through a tough road all tournament and even got outshot in regulation—still found the heart and composure to finish the job when the moment demanded it.

When the bronze medals were finally theirs at Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Switzerland didn’t celebrate like “third place”—they celebrated like Europe’s champions, like the team that proved grit beats pressure and belief beats momentum. Beating Sweden again for Olympic bronze made the moment feel even bigger, echoing the history of Switzerland’s 2014 bronze run only this time with a veteran Müller sealing it once more. The Swiss didn’t just win a medal; they won a statement: they belong on the podium, and they can take it in the biggest moment. They celebrated like the glory of Women’s Hockey as they get to celebrate the match with friends and family.