Hockey

Team USA Top Sweden in Overtime, 3-2


Sweden jumped out to the lead just 2:28, but the U.S. pushed forward and nearly tied things up 4:53 into the frame as Adam Gaudette (Braintree, Mass.) snuck his way into the offensive zone and sent a difficult shot for Swedish netminder Linus Ullmark to handle. Gaudette did event the game at 7:50 after Andrew Peeke (Parkland, Fla.) tapped a pass off the boards where Ben Meyers (Delano, Minn.) knocked it towards the blade of Gaudette waiting at the top of the faceoff circle who fired it top shelf.

U.S. netminder Jeremy Swayman (Anchorage, Alaska) made a tight save on Sweden’s first quality chance 7:37 into the second. Moments later, Sweden appeared to take the lead off a two-on-one opportunity, but a successful coaches challenge from the U.S. deemed the play offside. Halfway through the second, Swayman made a pair of tough saves at the crease on the penalty kill, followed by one more mere seconds after the penalty ended.

Team USA had a late power play and Nate Schmidt (St. Cloud, Minn.) scored with 1:02 left in the stanza from the side of the circle to finish a nice passing play that included Gaudette and T.J. Tynan (Orland Park, Ill.). 

Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minn.) nearly made it a two-goal game on a breakaway chance before Ullmark denied his initial shot followed by a rebound opportunity. Sweden took advantage of a broken stick mishap and tied the game at two with 13:04 to go. Karson Kuhlman (Esko, Minn.) utilized his speed on the penalty kill and skated alongside Sam Lafferty (Hollidaysburg, Pa.) to create an odd-man rush as Ullmark made the tough save. Play went back-and-forth for the remainder of regulation and stayed square at two to bring overtime.

Sean Farrell (Hopkinson, Mass.) had a great look on net in overtime but Ullmark stretched out for the pad save. The U.S. put pressure on as it maintained the puck in its offensive zone with under two minutes to go, but didn’t find the back of the net. As time was expiring, Tynan generated an odd-man rush with Gaudette following and sent a quick pass to Gaudette who put it past Ullmark for the game-winner.

The U.S. returns to the ice Monday against Czechia at 4:20 p.m. (9:20 a.m. ET). The game can be seen live on NHL Network.

NOTES: Adam Gaudette (Braintree, Mass.) was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Sweden, 24-22 … Team USA was 1-for-3 on the power play, while Sweden was 0-for-3… For more information about the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championship, click here.





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