US beats – Ryan Leonard scored the winning shootout penalty as the United States beat Germany 4-3 at the ice hockey world championship in Zurich, bouncing back after a 6-2 loss to Finland. Switzerland routed Austria 9-0, and Sweden thrashed Slovenia 6-0.
When the U.S. finally got the puck to settle into the last seconds of regulation. it looked like the Americans might be stranded again—until Tommy Novak tied the game at 3-3 with 5:47 left. Then the shootout took over. and Ryan Leonard delivered the decisive penalty as the United States beat Germany 4-3 on Wednesday at the ice hockey world championship in Zurich.
The U.S. had come back from a bruising 6-2 loss to Finland on Monday, and this victory gave it second win from four games. The Americans now have five points in Group A in Zurich. Germany earned its first point.
The scoring told a story of momentum swinging back and forth. Germany captain Moritz Seider scored one minute into the game to give the Germans an early lead. Isaac Howard tied it at 1-1 before the end of the first, and Max Sasson’s goal put the U.S. ahead early in the second period.
But Germany wouldn’t stay down. Frederik Tiffels tied the game in the second, and Marc Michaelis put Germany ahead less than three minutes later. After a regulation sequence that tightened again right at the end. Novak sent it to the shootout after Germany goaltender Philipp Grubauer was unable to hold onto the puck.
In the end, Howard and Sasson also scored for the United States, and goaltender Devin Cooley allowed one goal in the shootout.
For Matthew Tkachuk, the night carried its own kind of weight. The Florida Panthers forward arrived in Zurich on Tuesday and played his first career game at the worlds. He also took a penalty shot, but failed to convert.
The U.S. will play Latvia on Saturday.
The rest of the world championship slate brought bigger statements from the teams still cruising. Switzerland routed Austria 9-0 to keep a perfect record. led by Theo Rochette. Nico Hischier. and Damien Riat. who each scored two goals. Switzerland won its fourth straight game to top Group A in Zurich with 12 points. Sven Andrighetto added three assists, and Leonardo Genoni made 20 saves.
Host Switzerland, which finished runner-up the previous two years, will look to keep that momentum in front of the home supporters. Austria fell to nine points after its first loss.
In Group B in Fribourg, Czechia rallied late to edge winless Italy 3-1. Nicholas Saracino put Italy ahead 1-0 in the second period—Italy’s only the second goal of the tournament at the worlds. Early in the third, Marek Alscher tied it at 1-1, and Jakub Flek scored the eventual winner with 8:55 left. Dominik Kubalík added an empty-netter.
The Czechs, atop their group with 10 points, outshot Italy 58-15.
Sweden’s day in Fribourg was even more lopsided. Raymond Lucas and Jacob de la Rose each scored two goals as Sweden rolled to a 6-0 win over Slovenia. Robert Hagg and Mattias Ekholm also scored.
USA Germany ice hockey world championship Zurich shootout Ryan Leonard Devin Cooley