canada vs switzerland hockey

Canada just beat Switzerland 5–1 in men’s Olympic hockey on 13 February 2026, a result that has people talking about how lopsided the matchup really is right now.
Quick Scoop: Canada vs Switzerland hockey
Canada vs Switzerland in hockey has become one of those sneaky‑good international matchups: usually Canada is favoured, but Switzerland is no longer an easy out. Recent tournaments have swung both ways, which is why the latest 5–1 Canadian win is drawing extra attention.
Latest game: 13 Feb 2026, Olympics
- Final score: Canada 5, Switzerland 1.
- Period scoring: Switzerland led 1–0 early, but Canada answered and then pulled away (2–1 after 1st, 3–1 after 2nd, 5–1 final).
- Shots: Canada 39, Switzerland 25, showing Canada carried most of the play.
- Special teams: each side scored one power‑play goal; penalties were even at 6 minutes each.
Key names from the forum game thread:
- Canada scorers: Connor McDavid (PP), Thomas Harley, Macklin Celebrini, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon.
- Switzerland’s lone goal: Pius Suter on the power play.
- Canada dominated faceoffs 38–19, which helped them control possession and momentum after Switzerland’s early goal.
One forum vibe: the boxscore reads like a “generational‑talent greatest hits” for Canada (McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon on the same scoresheet), while Swiss fans mostly focused on effort and missed chances rather than expecting a win.
Bigger picture: rivalry and history
Even though Canada is a traditional powerhouse, Switzerland has turned this into a real matchup over the past decade.
- Head‑to‑head overall: 26 games on one H2H tracker, with Canada winning 16 and Switzerland 10, no draws.
- Olympic meetings: 3 games listed there, with Canada winning 2 and Switzerland 1.
- Classic upset: Switzerland famously pushed or upset Canada at past Olympics and World Championships, which is why every new Canada vs Switzerland hockey game feels “upset alert” worthy.
A striking example: at the 2022 IIHF Worlds, Switzerland beat Canada 6–3 after repeatedly coming from behind and outworking Canada in all three zones, which some analysts called a statement game for Swiss hockey. On the flip side, Canada has had dramatic wins too, like rallying to beat Switzerland in overtime in a World Championship quarterfinal, underlining that Canada still usually finds a way when it matters.
Recent trend: Switzerland can hang, Canada still favoured
If you look at just the past few years:
- Switzerland has picked up big wins at World Championships, including handing Canada its first loss of the 2023 tournament in a tight game where a late Michael Carcone goal wasn’t enough for a comeback.
- Canada, meanwhile, continues to win more often overall and often by comfortable margins when its full star talent is available, as in the 5–1 Olympic win and other lopsided results tracked in H2H stats.
So the current narrative around “Canada vs Switzerland hockey” is:
- Canada: deeper talent, more star power, better top‑to‑bottom roster.
- Switzerland: well‑structured, hardworking, capable of upsets, no longer intimidated, and increasingly competitive in tournaments.
What people are saying online
From public forum and game‑thread chatter:
- Canadian fans are buzzing about the “stacked” forward group (McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby together) and how unfair it looks when everything clicks.
- Swiss fans are proud of how far their program has come, but there’s frustration that small mistakes against a team like Canada turn into goals almost every time.
- Neutral fans see this as one of the most fun non‑traditional rivalries: games are fast, emotional, and usually meaningful in group standings or elimination rounds.
Mini FAQ
- Is Canada vs Switzerland still considered an upset risk?
Yes. Even though the latest game was 5–1 Canada, recent Worlds show Switzerland can beat Canada when it gets good goaltending and finishes its chances.
- Who has the edge going forward?
On paper, still Canada, especially in best‑on‑best settings like the Olympics, but nobody treats Switzerland as a “free win” anymore.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.