STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Tage Thompson (Orange, Conn./Buffalo Sabres/University of Connecticut) scored the overtime game-winning goal to clinch the first gold medal for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the IIHF Men’s World Championship since 1933, defeating Switzerland, 1-0, here today at Avicii Arena.
“What an absolutely amazing feeling,” said Ryan Warsofsky, head coach of Team USA. “Everyone in our group contributed to winning the gold medal. We beat an excellent team in Switzerland tonight and full credit to them for the tournament they had. On behalf of our team, I’d also like to thank all the people who helped put on the world championship. We’ll remember this for a long, long time.”
Team USA finishes the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship with a record 7-2-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L), capturing its first gold medal at the event in 92 years.
Drew O’Connor (Chatham, N.J./Vancouver Canucks/Dartmouth College) nearly opened the scoring 5:06 into the first on a point-blank opportunity in the slot generated by a centering feed from Mikey Eyssimont (Littleton, Colo./Seattle Kraken/St. Cloud State University), but his shot was denied by Swiss netminder Leonardo Genoni.
HIGHLIGHTS
U.S. goaltender Jeremy Swayman (Anchorage, Alaska/Boston Bruins/University of Maine) made a series of stellar saves with 9:58 remaining, as he shut the door on a Swiss power play. He finished the game with a 25-save shutout.
Team USA challenged Genoni with a flurry of shots in the dying seconds of the first but was unable to take the lead as the score remained tied through 20 minutes.
Frank Nazar (Mount Clemens, Mich./Chicago Blackhawks/University of Michigan) drew a penalty shot at 5:38 of the second. Conor Garland (Scituate, Mass./Vancouver Canucks) was selected to take the shot, which was denied by Genoni.
Michael McCarron (Macomb, Mich./Nashville Predators) nearly scored the first goal of the game with 2:22 left in the frame as he deflected a shot from Andrew Peeke (Parkland, Fla./Boston Bruins/University of Notre Dame) just wide of the Swiss net. Nazar almost scored shorthanded with less than a second remaining, but his chance was turned aside in front of the net.
Clayton Keller (St. Louis, Mo./Utah Mammoth/Boston University) tipped a one-timer from Brady Skjei (Lakeville, Minn./Nashville Predators/University of Minnesota) on goal, but the chance was fought off by Genoni at 5:07 of the third.
Keller nearly broke the scoreless tie with 7:15 remaining in regulation, as he fired a shot from the left faceoff circle that bounced into the crease before being swept away by a defender.
Neither team was able to find the game winner in 60 minutes of play, sending the contest to overtime. Team USA outshot Switzerland, 39-24, in regulation.
Thompson scored the overtime game-winning goal 2:02 into the 3-on-3 overtime frame, as he wristed a shot from the top of the right circle past Genoni to clinch the first gold medal for Team USA in over nine decades.
NOTES: Tage Thompson was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. went 0-2 on the power play while Switzerland went 0-2 … Team USA outshot Switzerland, 40-25 … Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Columbus Blue Jackets/University of Michigan) earned the directorate award as the best defenseman in the tournament and was named to the Media All-Star Team.
GAME PHOTOS
GAME STATS GAME PREVIEW
Source: usahockey.com