Austria Faces Must-Win Quarterfinal Clash Against USA: ‘We Know We Can Beat Them,’ Says Forward Neubauer
Zurich, 24 May 2026
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Summary
Austria lost 2-5 to Finland in Zurich, leaving their quarterfinal hopes hanging on a decisive final group match against the USA on Tuesday. Forward Henrik Neubauer remains optimistic: “We know we can beat the Americans.”
Zurich, 24 May 2026
Austria’s ice hockey team suffered a 2-5 defeat to Finland on Sunday evening in Zurich, setting up a winner-takes-all showdown against the United States on Tuesday for a spot in the World Championship quarterfinals.
Finland’s Four-Goal Surge
The loss was Austria’s third in a row after a promising start to the tournament had seen the team win its first three games against Great Britain, Hungary and Latvia. Despite the setback, the team’s fate is still in its own hands thanks to the nine points already on the board.
Finland opened the scoring late in the first period when NHL star Mikael Granlund converted a rebound on the power play at 19:18. The man advantage had come from a tripping call against Austria’s Benjamin Nissner, and the goal proved to be the turning point.
Saku Mäenalanen doubled the lead in the 24th minute after a pass from behind the goal caught the Austrian defence off guard. The Tigers forward’s strike made it 2-0 and silenced the Austrian contingent in the stands.
The second period turned into a nightmare for head coach Roger Bader’s side. Within 47 seconds, Finland struck twice more: Jesse Puljujärvi of Servette scored on a rebound in the 32nd minute, and Sakkeri Manninen added a fourth goal almost immediately afterwards.
Austria’s goaltender David Kickert had little chance on the quick-fire goals and the team’s fatigue from a draining defensive effort against Germany 24 hours earlier became increasingly apparent. Finland outshot Austria 19-6 in the middle frame.
The Austrians showed resilience late in the game. Benjamin Nissner scored a spectacular goal in the 44th minute after a forecheck by Peter Schneider forced a mistake by Finnish goalie Justus Annunen, cutting the deficit to 4-1.
Group Standings and Scenarios
Finland restored the four-goal cushion through Patrik Puistola in the 48th minute, but Austria had the final word when Leon Wallner of the Vienna Capitals netted his third goal of the tournament with just over a minute remaining.
The 2-5 result leaves Austria in a precarious position. The team now sits tied with Latvia on nine points, but Latvia’s 6-0 thrashing of Great Britain earlier in the day gave them a superior goal difference. Germany, with seven points, still has a match against winless Great Britain to come.
For Austria to reach the quarterfinals, they must beat the USA in regulation time on Tuesday. The Americans, the defending champions, defeated Hungary 7-3 on Sunday to keep their own hopes alive and will face Austria in what is effectively a knockout game.
Refereeing Controversy
Forward Henrik Neubauer struck a defiant tone after the Finland loss. “Es ist jetzt einfach. Wir müssen gewinnen gegen die Amerikaner. Wir wissen, dass wir das können. Wir sind eine gute Mannschaft,” he said, meaning: “It’s simple now. We have to beat the Americans. We know we can do that. We’re a good team.”
The Austria-Finland match was not without controversy. The IIHF assigned American referee Nolan Boyer and German referee Andre Schader – both from nations that could profit from an Austrian defeat – to officiate the game. A high-sticking incident that left Austrian player Tim Harnisch with a bloody nose went unpenalized despite calls for a double minor.
Elsewhere in Group B, Canada underlined their dominance with a 5-1 victory over Slovakia. Dylan Cozens opened the scoring in the 19th minute, but Kristian Pospisil equalised for Slovakia in the 29th. Gabriel Vilardi put Canada ahead again in the 43rd minute, and late goals from John Tavares, Ryan O’Reilly (short-handed) and captain Macklin Celebrini sealed a comprehensive win. Canada now has 17 points from six games.
Around the Groups
Latvia delivered a ruthless 6-0 demolition of Great Britain, condemning the Brits to relegation without a single point. Captain Rudolfs Balcers of the ZSC Lions scored his sixth goal of the tournament 40 seconds before the first intermission, and three more goals in the middle period put the game out of reach. Six different Latvians scored in the rout.
Denmark beat Italy 3-2 after a penalty shootout in a thrilling encounter. Two goals inside the first three minutes gave Denmark a lightning start, but Italian teenager Tommy Purdeller scored twice in the middle period to drag his side level. After a scoreless third period and overtime, Patrick Russell converted the only penalty shot to secure the win for Denmark.
Italy, who earned their first point of the tournament, now faces a must-win match against Slovenia on Monday to avoid relegation. Denmark, meanwhile, can no longer be relegated.
USA Rolls Over Hungary
The United States’ 7-3 win over Hungary earlier on Sunday was a clinical affair. The Americans outshot Hungary 48-17 and led 2-0 after one period thanks to Matthew Tkachuk and a first-period strike. Ryan Leonard scored twice as the lead grew to 4-0 before Hungary rallied with goals from Csanad Erdely and Gabor Tornayai. Max Plante’s late goal made it 7-3.
The USA now has five points, with the match against Hungary in the bag. A regulation-time win over Austria on Tuesday would vault them past the Austrians and likely into the quarterfinals, depending on Germany’s result against Great Britain.
The Decisive Day Approaches
For Austria, the equation is brutally straightforward: beat the Americans, and they are through. A loss, and their World Championship campaign ends early. The ZSC Lions’ home rink will host the decisive clash at 16:20 on Tuesday, with live coverage on ORF 1.
The pressure is immense, but Austria’s early victories have shown they can compete with anyone. Whether they can summon that form one more time against the reigning world champions will determine if their Swiss adventure continues into the knockout rounds.
Questions & Answers
What does Austria need to do to reach the quarterfinals?
Austria must defeat the United States in regulation time on Tuesday to secure enough points to finish in the top four of Group B and advance to the quarterfinals.
Why was the refereeing of the Austria-Finland match called into question?
The IIHF assigned an American referee and a German referee to a match where both the USA and Germany could benefit from an Austrian loss; a high-sticking incident that bloodied Austrian player Tim Harnisch’s nose did not result in a penalty.
How did Finland’s rapid second-period goals decide the match?
Finland scored twice in 47 seconds during the 32nd minute, turning a 2-0 lead into 4-0, which proved too large a deficit for Austria to overcome despite two late consolation goals.
Austria Ice Hockey World Championship: Neubauer Confident | allfacts360
