Finland Edges Switzerland 1-0 in OT to Capture 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship

Finland defeated Switzerland 1-0 in overtime on May 31, 2026, in Zurich to win the men's ice hockey world championship. Buffalo Sabres rookie center Konsta Helenius scored the winning goal at 10:42 of overtime. The victory marked Finland's fifth world championship title and its first since 2022.

Anton Lundell and Mikko Lehtonen assisted on Helenius' goal. Swiss goaltender Leonardo Genoni made 27 saves. Finland goaltender Justus Annunen stopped all 22 shots he faced. Annunen finished the NHL season with a 10-12-2 record for the Nashville Predators.

Finland previously won world titles in 1995, 2011, 2019, and 2022. Helenius, 20, recorded one goal and four points in nine regular-season games for the Sabres after his promotion. In the 2026 NHL playoffs, he scored two goals in four games before joining Team Finland.

Buffalo defeated the Boston Bruins in the first round and lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round. Finland center Janne Kuokkanen, a former New Jersey Devils forward, said after the game: "The game was like a lot of up and downs. I think both teams had a chance to score the goal.

Hockey is like that, especially today. With the two best teams in a tournament, it's just one bounce and one lucky chance, and you score the goal, and that's it. " Switzerland reached the final for the third consecutive year but has now been shut out in each of those games.

The Swiss lost to Czechia 2-0 in 2024 and to the United States 1-0 in overtime in 2025. They also finished second in 2018, 2013, and 1935. Swiss forward Nico Hischier, captain of the New Jersey Devils, said: "One goal again, and we just couldn't manage it.

Obviously, they're a well-disciplined team, a well-structured team. But I don't think we gave them much. " Switzerland captain Roman Josi, a Nashville Predators defenseman, was named tournament MVP and selected to the championship All-Star team.