Siegenthaler and Hischier Connect in Swiss Win at Worlds | BLOG

Nico Hischier won the faceoff, Denis Malgins of the Colorado Avalanche weaved a pass off to Jonas Siegenthaler and the New Jersey Devils defenseman's shot from the point fired directly into the back to the Slovak net.

At the World Championship, the Swiss national team took a 1-0 lead on Slovakia thanks to an all-NHL connection and two New Jersey Devils. It took Siegenthaler and Hischier to be difference makers for their national team just 5:07 into their first appearance of the tournament.

The two Swiss Devils arrived in Riga on Tuesday and went right to the arena to meet their teammates who had just won their third game of the tournament. A day later they were on the ice for their first practice and jet-lagged or not they headlined the win for Switzerland's 4-2 win against Slovakia.

"I treated myself to a few coffees before the game," the Devils captain told SRF after the game.

Hischier and Siegenthaler have been part of a new generation of Swiss hockey talent that has helped their national team make big advances on the world stage. On Thursday, Switzerland set a new national team record for most minutes without allowing a goal when they hit the 202-minute mark. The shutout streak lasted for 205:08 when Slovakia's Andrej Kudrna scored 5:08 into the second period.

Switzerland currently sits first in the Group B standings (4-0-0), giving up their first two goals of the tournament in their fourth game, and along with Group A's Sweden, have given up the fewest goals (2) so far.

For Siegenthaler, it was a no-brainer to join his country after the end of the Devils' season.

"It was a pretty easy decision,"

, "they're all good guys, it's always fun to be here playing with the boys. You grow up playing with them, everybody knows each other so well. So it's a lot of fun to be as a group here and play a tournament and fight for your country."

Between Hischier and Siegenthaler and Slovakia's Simon Nemec, the Devils had three representatives in the game. Nemec, the 19-year-old defensive prospect, had the highest total ice time among both teams, playing 23:52. Appearing in his 15th men's national team game as a U-20 player, Nemec set a new record for teenagers in his country.

Switzerland will face Canada in their next game on Saturday at 9:20 a.m. ET. While Slovakia play again tomorrow, against Kazakhstan, at 1:20 p.m. ET.

You can watch the highlights of the game

here

.