By December 30, 2012

Tanner Richard Giving Swiss a Chance At the WJHC

A few weeks ago, it was said here that with the benefit of playing in a group free of Canada, Russia and the USA, Team Switzerland has an outside chance at qualifying for the quarterfinals at the 2013 World Junior Hockey Championship.

After a 7-2 win over Latvia and two tough SO losses to both Sweden and Finland, the Swiss now face a must-win situation tomorrow vs the Czech Republic in order to advance to the medal round.

With a win today over Latvia, the Czech Republic now sits in 2nd place in Group A, 1 point up on both Finland and Switzerland. With a regulation or OT win tomorrow, the Swiss would vault past both the Czechs and the Finns, and with a Sweden victory over Finland, they would rise as high as 2nd place in the group.

But regardless of what happens in that other game, their fate is in their own hands; beat the Czechs, and Switzerland advances.

Guelph Storm & Swiss F Tanner Richard knows the skinny, as evidenced in this tweet sent out earlier today:

Tanner Richard is hoping to help the Swiss advance to the WJHC quarterfinals. (Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images)

While Tanner Richard got off to a flying start in the win over Latvia (dropping 3 A while earning first star honours for that day’s action), he was held off the score sheet against Sweden before adding another assist in the Finland game on a goal scored by Sven Andrighetto of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Those 4 points put him in a tie for second atop the Swiss stats board, behind F Lino Martschini who currently leads the Swiss with 5 points (1G, 4A). Richard, along with line mates Andrighetto and Mike Kunzle (all with 4 points), currently holds a share of the 4th highest point total put up so far in the tournament (along with the likes of Nail Yakupov & Morgan Reilly).

In fact, this trio has helped the Swiss put up 13 GF, behind only Canada in terms of goals scored. They have, however, allowed 10 goals in 3 games, the 3rd most allowed to date (behind Germany and Latvia). While the Czechs haven’t exactly been lighting the tournament on fire offensively, Richard and Co. will certainly need another big effort at both ends of the ice on Monday in order to get the job done.

Unfortunately for Guelph Storm fans, the game will not be televised here in Canada. In fact, none of the Group A games have been shown on TSN, depriving all hockey fans of the opportunity to watch the other half of the 2013 WJHC.

If the Swiss do advance, it will give Storm fans the opportunity to see Richard in Swiss red and white for at least one game; at this point, a trip to the medal round will mean a QF showdown with any one of Team USA, Russia or Canada. Advancing, however, would be a major improvement on last year’s 8th place result, granting them a shot at their first medal since 1998, and their second all-time. It would also provide Richard with some great competitive experience before returning to Guelph for the stretch run.

The game against the Czech Republic gets going at 02:30 EST on Monday.

Update: In the early EST morning hours, Team Switzerland – down by 2 to the Czechs heading into the 3rd period – tied the game with just over 2 minutes to play in order to force overtime. They went on to lose the the game in OT (their 3rd straight OTL), and Richard went pointless with 1 SOG and a -1 rating on the day. The single point, however, set up a scenario whereby they could still advance to the quarterfinals with a Sweden regulation win over Finland.

Here’s what Richard tweeted prior to that game:

Sure enough, the Swedes came through with a 7-4 win over Finland, giving Switzerland the 3rd spot in Group A and a spot in the Quarters. Richard’s reaction?

Things won’t get any easier, as the Swiss are lined up to face the Russians on Wednesday. A win would be an upset of epic proportions, but anything truly is possible in a single elimination game. The good news is that the game will be on TSN at 08:00 EST, so Storm fans will indeed get to see Richard in action at least once at this year’s WJHC.

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Posted in: CHL, National Teams, OHL

About the Author:

Lead Boston Bruins writer for The Hockey Writers. Also contributing to the THW Next Ones NHL Draft prospect profile series. Previously created & edited a sports-based website called Score Nation, and has also written for THW Combine.