Muller 1 step closer to 2nd Olympic women's hockey medal, 12 years after helping Swiss win bronze

MILAN (AP) — It’s been 12 years since Alina Muller scored the most significant goal in Switzerland women’s hockey history, and she’s tired of reminiscing.

Muller’s reasons are not out of humility or lack of pride. She will forever cherish being 15 and scoring the bronze medal-clinching goal in 4-3 win over Sweden at the 2014 Sochi Games.

Muller is tired of that moment representing the first and only time the Swiss women have medaled in international play, be it the Olympics or world championships.

“I don’t really love talking about it anymore,” she told The Associated Press before the start of the Milan Cortina Games.

“I just want to create a new story with the Swiss team, win the medal with them and hopefully then we don’t have to talk about 2014 again anymore,” she added. “I don’t want to look back and have this as the only success we’ve had.”

On Saturday, Muller was only looking ahead in being one step closer to providing everyone something more to talk about.

With Muller scoring and Andrea Braendli stopping 40 shots in a 1-0 win over Finland, Switzerland advanced to the semifinals to face defending Olympic champion Canada on Monday.

Win or lose, and the Swiss are still guaranteed playing with a medal on the line on Thursday.

“It’s not there yet, but I’m definitely super happy that we have a chance to change that,” Muller said.

Muller scored a power-play goal with 5:43 left in the second period after captain Lara Stadler won a faceoff to the left of Finland’s net. Rahel Enzler quickly fed a pass to Muller, who cut toward the net and slipped a shot through the legs of Sanni Ahola.

The goal was Muller’s 15th in Olympic play, the most in Swiss women’s hockey history, and three short of the record now shared by Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Hockey Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser.

Fittingly, it was Stalder who played a role, with the captain and Muller the lone holdovers from 2014.

“Those two, they’re the face of Swiss ice hockey,” said coach Colin Muller (no relation). “Alina brings you total professionalism, and Lara brings you scoring quality and a good captain. Both of them are bringing so much.”

After playing professionally in Sweden, Stalder has returned home to Switzerland to develop girls hockey.

Muller has spent much of the past decade waving the Swiss flag in North America.

She was a star in college at Northeastern, where Muller was a five-time top 10 finalist for women’s college hockey’s MVP award. Muller has since stayed in Boston, where she is in her third season with the PWHL's Fleet.

For all her achievements, the youngest hockey Olympian to win a medal, is still waiting for a second medal a month before her 28th birthday.

Switzerland has come close before.

At the 2022 Beijing Games, the Swiss lost 4-0 in the bronze medal game to Finland.

At the world championships, Switzerland played for bronze three times since 2019, and lost each time.

“We know we’re capable of it. It’s about the mindset and how mentally strong you are in such moments,” Muller said before the Games. “We have to win that last game. And that’s the step we want to take this year.”

She was even more hopeful after beating Finland. It was an outing that featured a frantic finish in which Muller and Stalder were on the ice for much of the final two minutes to protect the lead.

“I think we’re in really good shape,” Muller said of Switzerland's chances following the win. “I think it’s time for Swiss women’s hockey to win another medal.”

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AP Olympic coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics