Sweden’s quest to win its first medal since 2007’s bronze continues as it prepares for Friday’s quarter-finals. The Swiss needed a regulation win here to move on to the next round, and didn’t get it.

Instead, the Czech Republic will be in the quarter-finals. It’s a great moment for the Czechs, who upset Switzerland 3-1 in the round-robin. They were relegated in their only previous Women’s Worlds appearance in 2013.

Anna Borgqvist, who finished third in tournament scoring last year, got the shootout winner. The Swedes outshot Switzerland 39-22.

The disappointed Swiss will finish seventh or lower for the first time since the 2011 Women’s Worlds (seventh). The last time they were relegated was in 2004.

Switzerland jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Evelina Raselli’s goal at 4:21. But the red-and-white team would run into penalty trouble thereafter, including two bench minors for too many players on the ice.

The Swedes poured it on in the second period, outshooting the Swiss 19-8. Their effort finally bore fruit. At 19:34, Lisa Johansson potted the tying goal on the power play.

In the dying moments of the third period, the Swiss pulled netminder Florence Schelling in a bid to get a three-point regulation win. However, the gambit didn’t pay off, and their medal dreams were over.

Swiss coach Daniela Diaz offered a post-mortem: "We had victory on our stick until the last second. The team struggled with a lot of heart. From this point of view, the defeat is very bitter. Despite an outstanding goalkeeping performance from Florence Schelling, it was not enough. Unfortunately. wie had to kill off many unnecessary penalties, which cannot happen at this level. Now we have to focus on the relegation game against Japan tomorrow. "