GAME DAY | U.S. Faces Latvia in Men’s World Championship at 6:20 a.m. ET Today

ZURICH, Switzerland – The U.S. Men’s National Team resumes competition today at the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship, facing Latvia at 12:20 p.m. (6:20 a.m. ET/NHL Network/NHL YouTube) at Swiss Life Arena. This match marks the fifth of seven preliminary round contests for the U.S. in the tournament.

Team USA enjoyed a two-day break following their 4-3 shootout victory over Germany on Wednesday (May 20). The U.S. overcame two one-goal deficits during the match, securing their second win in four games at the men’s worlds. Ryan Leonard netted the winning goal in the fifth round of the shootout, while Devin Cooley earned the victory in goal for Team USA.

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Latvia last played on Thursday (May 21), suffering a 7-1 defeat to Finland. With a tournament record of 1-3, Latvia began with a 4-2 loss to Switzerland, followed by a 2-0 shutout victory over Germany, and then a 3-1 loss to Austria.

The U.S. and Latvia have met 18 times previously in the men’s world championship, with Team USA holding a record of 12-1-1-3-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T). Their most recent encounter occurred in the preliminary round of the 2024 tournament, where Cole Caufield recorded two goals and two assists, and both Matt Boldy and Brady Tkachuk contributed one goal and one assist, leading Team USA to a 6-3 victory.

As of today, Isaac Howard leads Team USA in scoring with 3-1—4 points, followed by Mathieu Olivier, Paul Cotter, and Declan Carlile, each with 1-2—3 points. In goal, Cooley is at the forefront with a record of 2-0, a goals-against average of 1.84, and a save percentage of .929.

Currently, the U.S. occupies fourth place in Group A with five points. The top four teams from each group will progress to the tournament quarterfinals, scheduled for Thursday, May 28.

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