BRATISLAVA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- An empty-netter spoiled Switzerland's hope of stepping upwards in Group B at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships here on Tuesday.
The Czech Republic clinced a 5-4 win to keep the Swiss in the fourth place as Czech defenseman Jan Rutta, who scored into an empty net with a minute and a half to go.
Switzerland's Lukas Frick was the first to score early in the game from the slot, but the Czechs responded with three straight goals by Jakub Voracek, Dominik Simon and Michael Frolik.
The Swiss refused to lay down their weapons and a seesaw scoring battle ensued. Tristan Scherwey's two goals and one by Nino Niederreiter brought the game to a tie late in the third period.
Switzerland needed a regulation-time win if they wanted to move up in Group B and hope for an easier opponent in the quarterfinals, so they pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, but their hopes were soon crushed by Rutta's empty-netter.
The Swiss will travel from Bratislava to Kosice for their quarterfinal duel against the winners of Group A Canada on Thursday.
The Czechs wrapped up the round robin stage in second spot and face the third team from Group A of Germany in the Bratislava quarterfinals.
