Switzerland Playing For First World Championship

The surprising Swiss knocked off the red-hot Americans 3-0 on Saturday to advance the IIHF World Championships gold medal game. The Swiss will play the host Swedes, led by the red hot power play featuring Loui Eriksson teaming up with twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin, on Sunday

In doing so the Swiss assured themselves their first World Championship medal win in 60 years (a bronze in 1953). It is the first time the Swiss have had a chance to win the world title since 1935.

The international hockey scene was a whole lot different back then. There was Canada and then there was just about everybody else. The Swiss hockey team of this era was very good. Led by Bibi Torriani and brothers Hans and Ferdinand Cattini, also known as the "Ni-Line" of HC Davos, the Swiss went 6-0-2 before meeting Canada in the decisive final game. The Swiss, reportedly fatigued due to a bad flu bug in the dressing room, had a very respectable showing in a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Monarchs.

Torriani and the Cattinis are all members of the IIHF Hall of Fame. The Swiss won six medals at the Worlds Championships and Olympics.

Here's a look at Switzerland's greatest moments in international hockey history.

Great Moments In Hockey History: Flyers Win The Stanley Cup

May 19th, 1974. It has been six years since the National Hockey League doubled in size from six to twelve teams. No expansion team had ever won the Stanley Cup. Until now.

The Philadelphia Flyers were the talk of hockey, with their aggressive and downright dirty tactics earning the label "Broad Street Bullies." But in the spring of 1974 they would fend off the favored Boston Bruins and earn another eternal label - Stanley Cup champion.

The Flyers are led by superstar center Bobby Clarke, a face off and defensive wizard but more importantly the heart and soul of the Flyers. Rick MacLeish be the offensive dynamo, leading all scorers with 22 points. But it was goaltender Bernie Parent who was the essential key to the championship. With a playoffs best 2.02 GAA, 2 shutouts and 12 wins, Parent was the obvious recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The Flyers also had an unlikely secret weapon from which they drew strength, or at least luck. Kate Smith warbled her way into hockey history by singing "God Bless America" in place of "The Star Spangled Banner." Much to the delight of the Philadelphia faithful, Smith became the Flyers good luck charm. FlyersHistory.net lists game by game results when Smith's trademark song was either played or performed live. Her record 74-20-3, including the 2007-08 season.

For the Bruins and their star Bobby Orr, it was the second time in the last three years that they were upset in a year when they should have won the Stanley Cup.

This Day In Hockey History: May 19th

1974 - Philadelphia became the first modern expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, beating Boston 1-0 in Game 6. Rick MacLeish scored the game's only goal, while goalie Bernie Parent won the Conn Smythe Trophy with his second career playoff shutout.

1984 - Wayne Gretzky scored two goals and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers beat the NY Islanders 5-2 in Game 5 of the Finals, to become the 1984 Stanley Cup Champions for the first time. They were also the first former WHA team to win the Stanley Cup.

1989 - Montreal's Larry Robinson became the first player in NHL history to play in 200 Stanley Cup playoff games, as the Canadiens beat Calgary 4-3 in overtime, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals, in Montreal.

1994 - Stephane Matteau scored the game winner at 26:13 of overtime to lead the Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Devils, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, in New Jersey.

1995 - San Jose goaltender Wade Flaherty made 56 saves in his second playoff start, and Ray Whitney scored the winning goal at 21:54 of overtime as the Sharks won 5-4, at Calgary in Game 7 of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals.

2000 - Patrick Roy tied an NHL record with his 15th career playoff shutout (set by Clint Benedict in the 1920's) as the Avalanche won 2-0 over the visiting Dallas Stars.

2000 - Glen Sather resigned as General Manager of the Edmonton Oilers, after 24 years with the organization.

Happy Birthday to Carey Wilson, Alex Shibicky, Steamer Maxwell, Murray Murdoch, Andreas Johansson, Marc Bureau, Denis Arkhipov, Bob Hess, Mark Janssens, Hannu Jarvenpaa, Jack Skille, Wayne Van Dorp, Jason Botterill and Michael Leighton

This Day In Hockey History: May 18th

1971 - Montreal's Henri Richard scored twice to lead the Canadiens to a 3-2 win at Chicago, in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Montreal won the Stanley Cup for the 17th time in team history.

1971 - 23-year-old rookie goalie Ken Dryden won the Conn Smythe Trophy with a 12-8 record and a 3.00 GAA in the playoffs.

1971 - Jean Beliveau played his final game in a Canadiens' uniform.

1973 - Boston's Bobby Orr was named winner of the Norris Trophy. It was the first time in NHL history that a player had won an individual award six consecutive seasons.

1981 - Vancouver Canucks signed Swedish forward Lars Molin and Swedish defenseman Anders Eldebrink as free agents.

1984 - 33-year-old Bill LaForge was hired as the eighth head coach in Vancouver Canuck history, replacing Harry Neale.

1986 - Montreal center Brian Skrudland scored the fastest overtime goal in Stanley Cup playoff history (just :09 into the game) to give Montreal a 3-2 win over Calgary, in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals.

1990 - Calgary Flames named Doug Risebrough as their new head coach, replacing Terry Crisp. Risebrough became the sixth head coach in Flames' history.

1997 - Wayne Gretzky scored the 10th playoff hat trick of his career, a NHL record, in the New York Rangers 5-4 win at Philadelphia, in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

2002 - Darren McCarty scored his first career playoff hat trick, in the third period as the Red Wings won 5-3 against the visiting Colorado Avalanche, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Happy Birthday to Jari Kurri, Brent Ashton, Jim Fox, Marty McSorley, Oleg Tverdovsky, John Chabot, Manny Malhotra, Jay Wells, Turner Stevenson, Darren Van Impe and Bob Janecyk.

Great Moments In Hockey History: Super Mario's Famous Goal

May 17th, 1991. Mario Lemieux scores one of the most famous goals in the history of hockey.




"Oh my goodness! What a goal! What a move! Lemieux! Ohhhhh Baby!

This Day In Hockey History: May 17th

1965 - New York Rangers obtained minor league goaltender Eddie Giacomin in trade from Providence of the AHL.

1981 - Minnesota's Dino Ciccarelli set an NHL playoff scoring record for rookies with his 21st point of the playoffs (a goal) in a 7-5 North Stars loss to the Islanders, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

1981 - Mike Bossy set an NHL record with his 30th point of the playoffs. It came as a goal in the Isles' 7-5 win over the Minnesota North Stars, in Game 3 of the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals.

1983 - New York Islanders beat Edmonton 4-2 in Game Four of the Finals, to become the 1983 Stanley Cup Champions, the fourth straight title for New York.

1987 - Jari Kurri scored a goal and added two assists to lead the Oilers to a 4-2 win over the Flyers, in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Edmonton.

1993 - Doug Gilmour scored twice and added two assists to lead the Maple Leafs to a 4-1 playoff win against the Kings, in Game One of the Campbell Conference Finals, in Toronto.

1995 - Doug Gilmour picked up two second period assists to pass Dave Keon as the Maple Leafs' All-Time leading playoff scorer, in a 5-4 overtime win over Chicago.

Happy Birthday to Carl Liscombe, Doug Smith, Bill Lindsay, Jim Cummins, Per Svartvadet and Martin Cibak.