With only 50.6 seconds left in overtime, star Alina Müller decided the game.
"It's just empty. We've worked so damn hard. I've never played on a team like this, where everyone really wants to win and sacrifices for each other," goalkeeper Ebba Svensson Träff told HBO Max.
A tearful Mira Jungåker said in TV4's broadcast that she didn't think Sweden reached its highest level when it mattered most.
"I don't know if it was because there was a bronze medal at stake."
"It's been four years of summer camps for this very day, to win an Olympic medal. We've fought so hard together and it wasn't enough in the end," the defender continued.
Double disappointments
It is the second heartbreaking overtime loss for Swedish ice hockey at Santagiulia Arena in just over 17 hours. On Wednesday evening, the men's team advanced to the quarterfinals against the USA.
Tre Kronor's women had not played a medal match in a championship in twelve years.
In 2014, the Olympics were held in Sochi. Then as now, Switzerland provided the opposition in the bronze medal match. It was a Swiss team that turned a 0–2 deficit into 4–3 in the third period and took bronze.
Sweden's most recent medal, a bronze, came at the 2007 World Championships, the year after the silver medal at the Turin Olympics.
Ulf Lundberg's team had a medal as their goal and now there was a chance in Santagiulia Arena. It was Lundberg's last match as head coach, as he will step down after six years and be replaced by former star and current Frölunda coach Erika Holst.
Heated middle period
The first period was a close one - the Swedes, with defender Jenna Raunio back from injury, led the game but without creating any clear scoring chances.
The game opened up even more in the middle period.
The game opened up and Switzerland were awarded a penalty after Iwana Wey was slashed by Thea Johansson on a breakaway. Wey tried to outsmart Ebba Svensson Träff between the pads, but the Swedish goalkeeper effectively blocked it.
Svensson Träff had been substituted after conceding four goals in the 0–5 semi-final against the USA, but she was now back and maintaining a high level.
Switzerland lost their semi-final to Canada by a narrow 1–2.
Lost the lead
After just over half of the bronze medal match, Damkronorna took the lead when defender Mira Jungåker fired a hard wrist shot from the point that beat Swiss goalkeeper Andrea Brändli, who is Hanna Olsson's clubmate at Frölunda.
But Switzerland responded four minutes later. Hanna Olsson lost the puck in her own zone and Sinja Leemann was able to equalize from close range.
Mira Jungåker had a couple of chances in the third period, but towards the end the Swiss created dangerous chances and Svensson Träff had to step up.
She did that in the final stretch too - and also had help from the post.
But in the end, Alina Müller struck and the bronze went to Switzerland.
Olympics 2026: 4.
World Cup 2025: 6.
World Cup 2024: 7.
World Cup 2023: 6.
World Cup 2022: 7.
Olympics 2022: 8.
