USA Wins First Worlds Men's Gold in 92 Years

Tage Thompson (UConn) scored just over two minutes into 3-on-3 overtime to lift the United States to a 1-0 victory over Switzerland today in the 2025 IIHF World Championship gold medal game in Stockholm, Sweden. It is the first men's World's gold for the U.S. since 1933, while the Swiss finished second for the fourth time overall.

Logan Cooley (Minnesota) and Brady Skjei (Minnesota) assisted on Thompson's goal, while Jeremy Swayman (Maine) stopped 25 shots in net for Team USA. Sweden took third this year by defeating Denmark in the bronze medal game, while Canada, Czechia, Finland and Austria rounded out the top eight. Next year's tournament will be held in Switzerland.

NCAA Skaters in Four Nations Face-Off

The inaugural Four Nations Face-Off gets underway starting Wednesday.

Following are the former NCAA players, all of whom are current NHL skaters, on each of the four rosters (Player, Position, NHL Team, School):

United States

Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets (UMass Lowell)

Jake Oettinger, G, Dallas Stars (Boston University) 

Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston Bruins (Maine)

Brock Faber, D, Minnesota Wild (Minnesota)

Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers (Harvard)

Noah Hanifin, D, Vegas Golden Knights (Boston College)

Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins (Boston University)

Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (Michigan)

Jake Sanderson, D, Ottawa Senators (North Dakota)

Jaccob Slavin, D, Carolina Hurricanes (Colorado College)

Matt Boldy, F, Minnesota Wild (Boston College) 

Kyle Connor, F, Winnipeg Jets (Michigan)

Jack Eichel, F, Vegas Golden Knights (Boston University)

Jake Guentzel, F, Tampa Bay Lightning (Omaha)

Chris Kreider, F, New York Rangers (Boston College)

Dylan Larkin, F, Detroit Red Wings (Michigan)

Brock Nelson, F, New York Islanders (North Dakota)

Brady Tkachuk, F, Ottawa Senators (Boston University)

Canada

Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche (Massachusetts)

Colton Parayko, D, St. Louis Blues (Alaska Fairbanks) 

Devon Toews, D, Colorado Avalanche (Quinnipiac)

Sweden

Gustav Nyquist, F, Nashville Predators (Maine)

Finland

Erik Haula, F, New Jersey Devils (Minnesota)

***

In all, 16 different NHL teams and 15 NCAA schools will be represented in the event. Lists do not include players who were chosen to participate but who will not, due to injury or other issues.

The tournament, which will temporarily replace the NHL All-Star Game, will run through Feb. 20, and will be contested in both Boston and Montreal.

U.S. Tops Norway in 2024 WJC Opener

The United States got off to a solid start at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden on Tuesday, with a 4-1 victory over Norway in the opener for both teams.

The U.S. got two goals from Gavin Brindley (Michigan) and 22 saves from Trey Augustine (Michigan State) in the win. Isaac Howard (Michigan State) and Jimmy Snuggerud (Minnesota) also scored for the Americans.

Team USA returns to WJC pool play on Thursday against Switzerland.

Michigan's Hagelin Hangs Up NHL Skates

Longtime NHL left wing Carl Hagelin (Michigan) has decided to call it a playing career. The Sodertalje, Sweden native, who sat out the entire 2022-23 NHL campaign due to an eye injury, has announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Drafted 168th overall in 2007 by the New York Rangers, he played four seasons in Manhattan while helping the Rangers to the 2014 Eastern Conference crown. He also played for Anaheim, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Washington in his 11-year NHL career, which spanned 713 regular-season contests from 2011 to 2022, and included 110 goals and 186 assists for 296 points. 

Hagelin also added 22-28—50 points in 141 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, and won two Stanley Cup titles with Pittsburgh (2016, 2017). In addition, he appeared in 22 career AHL games with Hartford/Connecticut his first year as a professional, before joining the NHL ranks for good that same year.

Prior to turning pro, Hagelin, 35, skated four full collegiate seasons at Michigan (2007-2011), in which he rang up 61-91—152 points in 171 appearances with the Wolverines. He helped Michigan to the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four as a freshman, and then captained the team his senior season as they came within an overtime goal of a national title. He also helped Michigan to two CCHA regular-season and two conference playoff championships in his career. 

Internationally, Hagelin won a silver medal with Sweden at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, six years after doing the same with Sweden at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship.

U.S. Falls to Sweden, Earns Silver

The United States lost only one game at the 2022 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in Germany. Unfortunately, it was Sunday's gold medal game against Sweden.

The Swedes broke a 2-2 tie in the second period with back-to-back power-play goals, then held on for a 6-4 victory at Fanatec Arena in Landshut to claim its second U-18 gold ever, and first since 2019. The U.S., which was seeking its first gold medal in the U-18 Worlds since 2017, suffered its first loss of this year's tournament, after outscoring its opposition by a 47-11 count over five previous games. It was the fifth silver medal all-time for the U.S. since the U-18 tournament commenced in 1999. 

Rutger McGroarty (Michigan commit) scored twice for the Americans, who also got goals from Ryan Leonard (Boston College) and Frank Nazar III (Michigan), all at even strength. The U.S. also outshot Sweden by a 51-15 margin overall. Trey Augustine (Michigan) made nine saves for Team USA, which surrendered an empty-net score in the final minute of play, after pulling within a goal.

Finland defeated the Czech Republic, 4-1, in the bronze medal game.

Devils Roll in 2018-19 Opener

Kyle Palmieri (Notre Dame) and Travis Zajac (North Dakota) scored two goals apiece as the New Jersey Devils opened their 2018-19 NHL campaign with a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers at the 2018 NHL Global Series in Gothenburg, Sweden on Saturday.

Miles Wood (Boston College) set up two goals for the Devils, who got 17 saves from Keith Kinkaid (Union). Cam Talbot (Alabama-Huntsville) made 22 stops for Edmonton. The victory marked New Jersey’s third win in its last five season openers, and also makes the Devils  21-9-6 overall in season-opening contests.

Sweden, Switzerland to Play for IIHF Gold in Denmark

It'll be Switzerland against defending champion Sweden on Sunday for the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark.

In Saturday's semifinals, Switzerland edged Canada, 3-2, while Sweden blitzed the United States, 6-0, despite 41 shots on goal by the Americans. Colton Paryako (Alaska Fairbanks) of the St. Louis Blues scored Canada's second goal, late in the third period. Keith Kinkaid (Union) of the New Jersey Devils took the loss for the U.S., making 14 saves as Sweden also scored two empty-net goals.

In the quarterfinal round, Sweden edged Latvia, Canada outlasted Russia, Switzerland upset Finland, and the U.S. topped the Czech Republic, all one-goal decisions.

The U.S. and Canada will play for the bronze medal tomorrow afternoon before Sweden and Switzerland meet for gold.

U.S. Falls to Sweden in WJC Semifinal

The United States will again not win gold medals in back-to-back years at the IIHF World Junior Championship. The U.S. fell to Sweden, 4-2, on Thursday in the first WJC semifinal in Buffalo.

The U.S trailed, 1-0, after two periods of play, and then surrendered three more goals in the third period before Kiefer Bellows (Boston University) and Brady Tkachuk (Boston University) scored for the Americans. Joe Woll (Boston College) took the loss in net, surrendering all four Swedish goals, before being replaced by Jake Oettinger (Boston University) with 11:35 remaining in regulation. The U.S. outshot Sweden, 31-20, on the afternoon.

The U.S. will attempt to salvage its 2018 WJC tournament run with a bronze medal on Friday at 4 p.m. ET (NHL Network) in the third-place game against the Czech Republic, which dropped the late semifinal game Thursday to Canada by a 7-2 count. Cale Makar (Massachusetts) set up two goals for the Canadians.

A win on Friday would garner the sixth WJC bronze medal ever for the U.S., which defeated host Canada in a shootout last year to win gold.

USA Wins Bronze Medal at World Juniors

The U.S. National Junior Team defeated Sweden today, 8-3, in Helsinki, Finland to finish in third place at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships.

It is the first WJC bronze medal for the U.S. since 2011, and first WJC medal overall since winning gold in Russia in 2013. The U.S. has now claimed three gold, one silver, and four bronze medals in WJC play all-time, according to worldjuniors.usahockey.com.

Anders Bjork (Notre Dame) and Ryan Donato (Harvard) each scored two goals for Team USA on Tuesday, while Nick Schmaltz (North Dakota) posted three assists. Donato's first goal stood up as the game-winner, after Brock Boeser (North Dakota) put the U.S. ahead, 3-2, for good early in the second period, via usahockey.com.

The Americans were relegated to this year's bronze medal game after a 2-1 semifinal-round loss yesterday to Russia, which fell to host Finland, 4-3, in overtime in the gold medal match. The only U.S. loss in the preliminary round this year came against Sweden, 1-0,

The Americans finished with a 3-0-0-1 record in round-robin play, with victories over Canada, Denmark and Switzerland. The U.S. then bested the Czech Republic, 7-0, on Saturday in a quarterfinal-round contest.

According to worldjunior2016.com, the U.S. boasted the top save percentage (.948) and top goals-against average (1.44) in this year's tournament. Next year's WJC will return to Montreal and Toronto, site of the 2015 gathering, where the U.S. finished in fifth place overall as host Canada won the gold medal.

U.S. Shut Out by Sweden

 
The U.S. National Junior Team suffered its first setback at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship in Finland with today's 1-0 loss to Sweden. The U.S. fell behind in the second period and could never get the equalizer, despite outshooting the Swedes, 46-23, overall at the Helsinki Ice Hall.

The Americans, who defeated Canada, 4-2, in their opener on Saturday, will continue the round-robin portion of the tournament against Switzerland on Wednesday (1 p.m. ET, NHL Network).

U.S., Canada Win at Worlds

Brock Nelson (North Dakota) scored a goal, Craig Smith (Wisconsin) tallied an assist, and Tim Thomas (Vermont) made 22 saves as the United States outlasted Finland, 3-1, on Sunday in preliminary-round play at the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk, Belarus. Both Thomas and the Americans improved to 4-2-0 in the tournament.

Ben Scrivens (Cornell) made 22 stops as Canada outlasted Sweden, 3-2, in overtime Sunday. Canada is now 5-1 and in first place in Group A. The U.S. will now face Germany on Tuesday, while Canada will take on Norway that same day to conclude pool play. Both North American squads have clinched quarterfinal berths.

Former College Players Help Canada to Gold Again

For the second straight Winter Olympics, Canada won the men's hockey gold medal, this time with a 3-0 victory over Sweden on Sunday at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia.

The NCAA helped a little bit again, as five skaters on this year's Canadian squad once plied their amateur trade at an American university. They included Jonathan Toews (North Dakota), Chris Kunitz (Ferris State), Patrick Sharp (Vermont), Martin St. Louis (Vermont) and Duncan Keith (Michigan State). Toews and Kunitz sandwiched goals around one by Sindey Crosby in yesterday's gold medal championship win, the first goals of the 2014 tournament by each member of that trio.

Toews, Sharp and Keith all won the Stanley Cup both last year and in 2010 with the Chicago Blackhawks. St. Louis claimed hockey's biggest prize 10 years ago with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Kunitz was a 2009 Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toews and Keith were also on Canada's 2010 gold-medal winning club in Vancouver, when Canada beat the United States, 3-2, for gold that year on Crosby's overtime goal.

Carl Hagelin (Michigan) of the New York Rangers was on the Swedish squad that earned silver this year. It was Sweden's first Olympic men's hockey medal since 2006, when the Swedes took gold in Torino, Italy. Phil Kessel (Minnesota) of the United States was named the top forward in the Sochi tournament, with eight points in five games, although the Americans finished fourth and out of medal contention with Saturday's 5-0 loss to Finland.

The NHL now resumes its 2013-14 season tomorrow night following a two-week Olympic break, perhaps the last time that league players will do so. The 2018 Winter Olympic Games will take place in South Korea.

U.S. Men Fall to Canada, 1-0, in Semifinals

Early in the second period at the Bolshoy Ice Dome, Canada's Jamie Benn redirected home a seeing-eye pass from the left point by defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.

That play both encompassed and completed the scoring for the Olympic men's hockey semifinal game in Sochi, Russia.

When the final horn went off, Canada still held its recent hockey mystique over the United States with a 1-0 victory against its North American neighbor to the south. The Americans. despite a lineup boasting Dustin Brown, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel (Minnesota), Zach Parise (North Dakota), Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin), Ryan Suter (Wisconsin) and James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) put up nothing on the scoreboard, at least in the scoring column. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

Canadian goaltender Carey Price made 31 stops to match his jersey number in besting U.S. netminder Jonathan Quick (Massachusetts), who made a number of key saves among his 36 stops to keep the Americans in a contest in which they would never score, despite averaging nearly five goals per game in this tournament coming into Friday's game.

A day after their female counterparts surrendered a late 2-0 lead in an overtime loss to Canada that cost them gold, the U.S. men again came up a goal short in Sochi to Canada, just as they did in Vancouver four years ago. The American will face Finland tomorrow for the bronze medal, while Canada, which recently won Olympic gold in both 2002 and 2010, will face Sweden on Sunday. The Swedes, who topped Finland by a 2-1 count on Friday, last won Olympic gold in 2006 in Italy.

34 years after the Miracle on Ice, the U.S. is still seeking its third Olympic men's hockey gold medal overall, and first since shocking the globe in 1980. Lake Placid is looking even lonelier after this one.

U.S Women Headed Back to Gold Medal Game

For the fourth time in five Olympics since women’s ice hockey became a medal sport, the United States is headed to the gold medal game. The Americans routed Sweden, 6-1, in a semifinal match on Monday at Shayba Arena in Sochi, Russia to advance to the final.

It wasn’t even that close.

The Americans took a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes, while outshooting the Swedes, 28-1, in that span. The shots-on-goal margin climbed to 70-9 before it was all over, with U.S. goaltender Jessie Vetter (Wisconsin) coming less than seven minutes of her first shutout in Sochi while seeing limited action.

Megan Bozek had a goal and two assists for the American blueliners, who also provided the game-winning goal by Kacey Bellamy (New Hampshire). Forwards Alex Carpenter (Boston College), Amanda Kessel (Minnesota), Monique Lamoureux (North Dakota) and Brianna Decker (Wisconsin) also lit the lamp for the U.S.

Sweden’s 3-2 shootout victory over the U.S. at the 2006 winter Olympics in Torino, Italy seems more and more like an anomaly, in light of today’s contest. The Americans will now face the winner of today's other semifinal between arch-rival Canada and Switzerland on Thursday (12 a.m. ET) for the gold, which Canada has won in the last three Olympics. The U.S beat Switzerland, 9-0, last week but fell to Canada, 3-2, in preliminary-round play.

U.S. Begins WJC Play on Thursday in Sweden

The U.S. National Junior Team will attempt to defend its title when it begins the 2014 IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden this week.

The U.S. opens WJC play on Thursday morning at 11:30 a.m. ET against the Czech Republic, in a game that will be televised on the NHL Network. The U.S. will also face Group 'A' opponents Slovakia, Germany and Canada in the preliminary round, which runs through Dec. 31. All of Team USA's games will be shown on the NHL Network, according to USAHockey.com.

Only three members of last year's gold-medal-winning squad in Russia return this time out for the Americans, including goaltender Jon Gillies (Providence) and captain Riley Barber (Miami). The only other returnee is Ryan Hartman of the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers.

The 24-man roster includes 23 NHL draft choices, and 18 players who are currently skating for NCAA Division I schools. The head coach this year is Don Lucia (Minnesota), a two-time NCAA national championship winner with the Golden Gophers who will attempt to guide the Americans to their second straight gold medal, and third in five years. The U.S. previously won gold in Saskatoon in 2010, and in Finland in 2004, both times by besting Canada in the title game.

Drop the puck, and Merry Christmas!

Manhattanville's Swedish Connection

This week's ECAC West column focuses on Manhattanville College and its pipeline from Purchase, N.Y, to Sweden, which has supplied the school with more than a half-dozen skaters over the past several seasons. Story is located here at USCHO.

The now-No. 11 Valiants improved to 11-4-2 overall with a 9-2 shellacking of host Suffolk on Tuesday night, and will visit conference foe Neumann tomorrow evening.

U.S. Wins Gold at WJC

Rocco Grimaldi (North Dakota) scored his first two goals of the tournament, including the game-winner, while John Gibson (Kitchener/OHL) made 26 saves and Vince Trocheck (Saginaw/OHL) added an empty-net goal with 16.7 seconds remaining in regulation today to lift the United States to a 3-1 victory over defending champion Sweden in the gold medal game at the 2013 IIHF World Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Following a scoreless opening period, Florida draft choice Grimaldi tallied twice in the second stanza, first on a wraparound and then on a deflection, after Sweden had taken a 1-0 lead. The goals stood up until Trocheck skated in alone late in the game to seal the win.

It marks the third WJC gold medal for the U.S., with the other two titles coming in 2004 and 2010.

Jacob Trouba (Michigan), who scored a goal in three straight games at one point, was named USA's Top Defenseman, while Johnny Gaudreau (Boston College), who had seven goals in three games leading up to the final, was its Top Forward.

Gibson, an Anaheim draftee, earned recognition as Top Goaltender for both the U.S. and the tournament, and allowed just nine goals in seven games while also pitching two shutouts. His save percentage of .955 is the highest ever for an American in the WJC.

The Americans finished the tournament with a 5-2 record, dropping only a pair of one-goal decisions to Russia and Canada, and will look to defend their WJC title next year in Sweden. Russia defeated Canada in the bronze medal game, 6-5, in overtime, denying Canada a WJC medal of any kind for the first time since 1998.

Johnny (Gaudreau) Be Good

The U.S. faces Sweden tomorrow ( 8 a.m. EST, NHL Network) in Ufa, Russia for this year's IIHF World Junior Championship gold - can Boston College sophomore forward Johnny Gaudreau keep his WJC offensive run going? See story at Bleacher Report.

Gaudreau Does It Again, U.S. Blanks Czechs

Boston College forward Johnny Gaudreau (pictured) followed up his two-goal performance against Slovakia on Monday with a hat trick this morning as the United States blanked the Czech Republic, 7-0, in its quarterfinal round opener at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Gaudreau opened the scoring in the first period on a power play, and then made it 2-0 in the second stanza, also with a man advantage, according to usahockey.com. His five goals now leads the U.S. in the tournament. Jacob Trouba (Michigan) saw his three-game goal-scoring streak come to an end, but still registered four assists against the Czechs.

The U.S., which tallied five power-play goals in all in the victory, advances to an elimination game tomorrow against northern rival Canada at 4 a.m. ET (NHL Network). Canada edged Team USA, 2-1, in the preliminary round last week.

Tomorrow's winner will face the winner of Russia and defending WJC champion Sweden for the title.