Switzerland enters the semi-finals on Saturday for the first time since 2013. They are doing it with balanced scoring, strong defence and goaltending. Centre
Enzo Corvi has been a revelation at this tournament as one of Switzerland's best forwards and a reason why they've advanced to the round of four.

Corvi is leading the Swiss national team in goal scoring with four tallies and tied for the scoring lead with eight points. Both Corvi and Nino Niederreiter have been leading lights for their team. Two of Corvi's goals were game winners
in the Preliminary Round, helping Switzerland qualify for the quarter-finals. His overtime marker against Austria in the opening game helped set put his team
on a path that leads back to Copenhagen with a chance to further advance in the
tournament.

Prior to 2018, Corvi had not represented the national team at major events. But
that changed with the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. Corvi played in four games and earned a spot here in Denmark and has made the most of his opportunity. He scored a goal as Switzerland finished in tenth place.

Now getting a second opportunity on the heels of the Olympics, Corvi has shown that he belongs here, shining on the big stage of international competition against NHL talent on the teams Switzerland has faced. In the quarter-final with Finland leading 1-0, Corvi opened scoring in the second period to tie the game at 9:13. This was the start of a momentum changing period where they would
score twice more to open a lead that resulted in a 3-2 win that now has Switzerland in the semi-finals against a formidable Canada line-up.

"In the second period, we had four or five minutes where we were creating a lot
of offence and scored," said captain Raphael Diaz. "But the goal that got us going was the first one when Enzo got us in the game."

Corvi's professional career trajectory has been significant. Corvi began skating at the age of three. He played for his hometown club EHC Chur until signing with HC Davos in 2012. With Chur, Corvi was playing in an amateur league until he was 19 where he led them to the third-highest league and was among its leading scorers. On a recommendation from the goaltender of his team,
Corvi was recommended to and then signed by HC Davos. He was on the title winning team in 2014/15 that was coached by Arno Del Curto. In the last two campaigns, he has come into his own as a player. The 25-year-old forward scored
a career high 18 goals last season.

At the tender age of 20, he played in the 2012 Spengler Cup, reaching the finals before losing to Canada. In the tournament, he scored his first goal for
Davos while playing alongside Joe Thornton, who was there during the NHL lockout that season.

In Denmark Corvi also reunited with another Chur native, Nino Niederreiter, for
the first time since playing junior hockey.

In 2013, Switzerland caught lightning in a bottle. They iced the best team in their history at the World Championship and brought home a silver medal. Corvi and crew would like to replicate, if not exceed, that accomplishment. But they must get past Canada on Saturday in Copenhagen for that to be the case.

Canada is coming off an impressive OT win over Russia. With the number of NHL players in the lineup, including Connor McDavid, Canada will be a roadblock for
the Swiss to the gold medal game. Canada will have to play without Jaiden Schwartz, who suffered an upper-body injury.

Corvi and company will be put to the test, but based on their recent track record, will be up for the challenge.

JOHN SANFUL

http://https://www.new-iihf.com/en/events/2018/wm/news/3204/swiss-newcomer-shows-he-belongs
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