In Herning, Denmark, the United States dominated the ice hockey world championship with a decisive 6-0 victory over Hungary, marking their second shutout in the tournament. Across the event, Canada also celebrated another triumph, overpowering Latvia 7-1, making it their second win in a row.
In Group B action, Frank Nazar shone for the U.S., contributing two goals and an assist, while Cutter Gauthier matched that with two more goals. Both Conor Garland and Logan Cooley also added to the scoreboard, each recording a goal and an assist. Nazar, the 21-year-old Chicago Blackhawks forward, opened the scoring by deflecting a shot from Cooley with just under six minutes left in the first period. He scored again swiftly, setting up another goal less than three minutes later off Hungary’s goalie Adam Vay.
Gauthier further secured the lead to 3-0 during the second period with a precise shot from the right circle. The Americans continued their offensive onslaught early in the final period, with Gauthier adding another and Garland making it 5-0. Cooley wrapped up the game with a final goal into an open net, and goalie Jeremy Swayman was pivotal, blocking all 13 Hungarian shots. The U.S. team, having blanked Denmark 5-0 earlier, now gears up to take on Switzerland.
Turning to Group A, Canada’s prowess was evident as Travis Konecny stood out with two goals and an assist. Kent Johnson also tallied two goals, while stars Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, and Barrett Hayton added one each to the tally. Notably, Captain Sidney Crosby marked three assists in the match, while goalie Marc-Andre Fleury demonstrated skill with 16 saves. Eduards Tralmaks caught Fleury off guard early with Latvia’s opening shot on goal, but Konecny and MacKinnon quickly reversed the momentum with rapid-fire scores. Johnson extended the lead further in the second period with two remarkable goals, while Konecny added a shorthanded goal just before the second period ended. Celebrini and Hayton rounded out Canada’s commanding win. The team prepares to meet France in their next match.
Additional highlights from Herning saw the Czech Republic working hard to edge out Norway with a 2-1 win, while Germany showcased their talent against Kazakhstan, winning 4-1. In Stockholm, Finland triumphed over France in a close 4-3 overtime win, thanks to Juuso Parssinen’s timely goal, and Slovakia celebrated its first Group A victory, defeating Slovenia 3-1.