USA Defeats Sweden, Sets Up Championship Clash with Switzerland

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — The United States won its semifinal matchup against Sweden with a score of 6-2 on Saturday, advancing to the championship game of the IIHF World Championship. The final is set against Switzerland, which shut out Denmark 7-0 earlier in the day.

The U.S. and Switzerland will face off on Sunday at 2:20 PM ET at Avicii Arena. This marks the United States’ best result in the tournament since earning a silver medal in 1950.

In the semifinal, the U.S. quickly established dominance, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period. Shane Pinto scored the opening goal, and minutes later, another American player added to the score after capitalizing on a blocked shot that trickled through Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom.

U.S. captain expressed pride in his team’s performance, stating, “It’s a good feeling. There’s one more game to win. We’re going to focus on tomorrow.” The Americans had a total of six players find the net during the game, showcasing a powerful offensive strategy.

U.S. goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 27 saves to help secure the victory. The win comes after the team’s sole loss to Switzerland in the group stage, a 3-0 defeat on May 12.

Switzerland advanced to the finals after a commanding performance against Denmark. Nino Niederreiter scored two goals to lead the Swiss, while their goalie, Leonardo Genoni, made 17 saves for a second consecutive shutout. Coach of the Swiss team, said he is looking forward to facing the U.S. again.

This matchup will mark Switzerland’s opportunity at their first world championship gold, as they have never claimed a title despite reaching the finals multiple times. The last time the U.S. won the World Championship was in 1933, though they did capture Olympic gold in 1960 and 1980.

Denmark will compete against Sweden in the bronze medal match on Sunday, hoping to secure their first medal in world championship history.