Ivana Wey was on hand at the decisive moment. In the bronze medal game against Sweden, the 20-year-old EVZ forward played a give-and-go with game-winner Alina Müller in overtime. “It was an incredible experience. The fact that we actually won a medal in the end is indescribable,” Ivana Wey reflects. With over 19 minutes of ice time, the talented forward had the second-highest average of all Swiss forwards throughout the tournament.
Lara Stalder (31), captain of both EVZ and the Swiss national team, also logged an above-average number of minutes on the ice. The tireless player shone with a plus-3 rating and two assists. The most productive Zug Olympian was Rahel Enzler (25) with one goal (against the powerhouse Canada) and two assists. “The key to our success was that everyone fought for each other, we stayed true to the system, and we always believed in ourselves,” she said. Her Zug teammate, Alina Marti (21), provided the assist for the first goal in the bronze medal match. The forward particularly remembers the moment “when we all went onto the ice, hugged each other, and cheered.”
Annic Büchi (20), the only EVZ defenseman in Milan, didn’t score any points in her Olympic debut, but gained valuable experience for future major events. She recounts: “The opening win against the Czech Republic gave us confidence. When the bronze medal game went to overtime, it was almost impossible to watch from the bench. After the game-winning goal, I couldn’t quite grasp what we had just achieved.” Besides the sporting success, Annic Büchi emphasizes the entire Olympic experience. “Living in the Village and walking past NHL superstars was something very special for me,” she says. Ivana Wey shares this sentiment: “When you suddenly see players like McDavid or Crosby in the dining hall, you realize that the Olympics aren’t just a normal tournament.” In the moment of their bronze medal celebration, the Swiss players didn’t forget their teammate Noemi Ryhner (25) from EVZ, who was sidelined with an injury. After the victory against Sweden, Alina Müller retrieved Noemi Ryhner’s number 24 jersey and put it on. Noemi Neubauerová (26) and the Czech Republic had lost 0-2 to Sweden in the quarterfinals. She averaged 17:38 minutes of ice time – as a defender. She is known as a power forward for EVZ.
