Latest news with #RyanWarsofsky
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
U.S. men's hockey team wins first standalone world championship since 1933
The U.S. men's hockey team won its first standalone world championship since 1933, beating Switzerland 1-0 in overtime in Sunday's final in Stockholm. Tage Thompson scored the golden goal to give the U.S. its first major tournament title since the 1996 World Cup. Its last Olympic title came in 1980 with the Miracle on Ice. Advertisement Goalie Jeremy Swayman got the shutout. For a time, the Olympics also counted as world championships, so the U.S.' Olympic medals in 1952 (silver), 1956 (silver) and 1960 (gold) are also world championship medals. The U.S. was eliminated from worlds in the quarterfinals last year. The Americans were fourth at worlds in 2022 and 2023 and made the semifinals 13 times since the IIHF reinstituted a bracketed playoff round in 1992. They lost 12 semifinals in a row before beating Sweden in Stockholm on Saturday. The U.S. team at these worlds featured two players from last February's 4 Nations Face-Off: Swayman and defenseman Zach Werenski, who led all players at 4 Nations with six points. Advertisement Many top NHL players miss worlds because the tournament takes place during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Others choose to rest after the NHL season. The U.S. head coach at worlds is the San Jose Sharks' Ryan Warsofsky. The U.S. has already qualified for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, where NHL players are expected to participate for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games. The U.S. head coach for the Olympics is the New York Rangers' Mike Sullivan.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
USA Strikes Gold At The World Championship For First Time In 92 Years
The year 1933. That's the last time Team USA won a gold medal at the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championship, until today, as the Americans defeated Switzerland 1-0 in overtime to take home the gold medal in Stockholm, Sweden. From an international and historical standpoint, the USA is dominant in practically every sport, but that isn't necessarily the case for hockey. America hasn't won an Olympic gold medal since the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980, and of course, 1933 was the last time the country had won gold at the World Championship. It was a daunting fact that stayed at the forefront of Team USA's minds throughout the entirety of this tournament over the past couple of weeks. '1933, that was addressed,' Team USA head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. 'That is not good enough for USA Hockey… We were embarrassed, truly embarrassed that we hadn't won this tournament.' This World Championship victory didn't just happen overnight. There's been a resurgence in the USA Hockey Program as a whole, and it starts at the grassroots level. You see American superstars like Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes and many, many others taking the NHL by storm currently. All of these players were brought up through a USA Hockey program that is continuing to get stronger each year. The American players of this generation wear the red, white and blue with pride while they have a certain confidence, almost a positive kind of arrogance that has elevated the program to new heights. 'The skill level that these young players have, the swagger that they play with is incredible,' Warsofsky said. 'The confidence, the respect they have for each other, the respect they have for the game, they are winners.' There's no longer an underdog mentality around the USA Hockey Program. The players come into every tournament looking to prove they are the top dogs. Team USA has won the past two IIHF World Junior Championships, and that's no coincidence. 'It's going great,' Brady Skjei said on where USA Hockey is as a program. 'It's always been good, but just haven't always got the success we've obviously wanted. A ton of youth coming up that will be big impact players in the NHL for a long time. USA Hockey is in a great spot right now… 'Our young guys on this team that have won world juniors, they have that confidence to them. They believe we should win in every tournament we play in. That is the confidence you need.' That leads us to this year's World Championship. Generally, there aren't a whole lot of star players who come to play for Team USA at this tournament. However, many of the young rising stars decided to represent America, including Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, Frank Nazar, Will Smith, Shane Pinto, Matty Beniers, and the list goes on and on. That doesn't even include the already established players that USA hockey recruited like Tage Thompson, Zach Werenski, Jeremy Swayman, Conor Garland and Skjei. It may sound like a cliche, but there was an energy around this team that was truly unique. By watching them throughout the entirety of the tournament, the USA core continued to get better and better. At first, they looked like a bunch of talented players who were bunched together, and by the end, they were one cohesive unit. That process took time, and it required everyone to buy into the culture. 'I think we just bought in Day 1,' Warsofsky said. 'Guys had an understanding that we needed to break this long drought, and I think our team went through a lot of adversity as far as results. Our team always got better each and every day.' After posting a nearly undefeated record in the preliminary round, The Americans breezed past Team Finland and Sweden en route to the gold-medal match. Their opponent in the final was a far more experienced Switzerland team that knows the international game inside out. It was a defensive, physical battle between the USA and Switzerland as both teams were unable to score goals through all three periods of regulation. In the overtime frame, it was Thompson who scored the golden goal, creating a special moment for his country and himself. 'Winning is why you play the game,' Thompson said. 'Obviously in the NHL I haven't won, so this is obviously one of the best feelings I've had. In my hockey career, this has to be Top 1 for sure.' This championship victory had far greater meaning than just winning a trophy or a medal. The players dedicated the win to Johnny Gaudreau, who was tragically killed along with his brother Matthew after they were struck by a drunk driver on Aug. 29 while riding bicycles near their home in Salem County, N.J. Gaudreau's commitment as well as all he's done for USA Hockey cannot be overstated. Team USA had Gaudreau's jersey in their locker room over the course of the tournament and his presence was felt in spirit. When receiving the championship trophy, the USA's captains covered the trophy with Gaudreau's jersey to honor him. 'The biggest thing was having Johnny Gaudreau in our room too,' Swayman said. 'This gold goes to him and the legacy he paved for all USA hockey players. Every single game you knew that he was with us… 'He would be here obviously, we miss him terribly. What he's done for the game, what he's done for USA Hockey, he's paved the way for a lot of kids like me. It was just really special to get the job done and mission accomplished for him.' Zach Werenski Says Johnny Gaudreau 'Deserves This Gold Medal More Than Anyone' Zach Werenski had a great World Championship. He missed the first couple of games but it was no coincidence that the U.S. team got much better after he arrived. In seven games, Werenski had six points and was voted to the tournament all-star team by accredited media and named Top Defenseman by the tournament directorate. USA Hockey can now use this victory as a stepping stone to greater things. By winning the World Championship: this USA Hockey Program is sounding a loud message that they have arrived and are not afraid of any country that may stand in their way. 'It's time for us to really put our stamp on it,' Warsofsky said. 'This tournament is the start of it.' Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
U.S. wins world hockey championship gold by beating Switzerland 1-0 in OT
STOCKHOLM (AP) — The long wait is over. Tage Thompson scored the golden goal as the United States prevailed over Switzerland 1-0 in overtime to win its first men's world hockey championship in decades on Sunday. Thompson wristed a shot past goaltender Leonardo Genoni from the top of the right circle for the winner 2:02 into overtime of the final with the 40th shot on goal. Logan Cooley and Brady Skjei provided the assists and goaltender Jeremy Swayman shut out the Swiss with 25 saves. USA Hockey says it is only the second trophy won at the tournament by the Americans after beating Canada in 1933, and it welcomed the triumph by saying 'Golden For First Time in 92 Years.' 'What an absolutely amazing feeling,' U.S. head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. 'Everyone in our group contributed to winning the gold medal. We beat an excellent team in Switzerland tonight and full credit to them for the tournament they had. … We'll remember this for a long, long time.' While the Americans had not won a world championship tournament in which they competed since 1933, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) says the U.S. was also formally awarded the title in 1960, when they won the Olympic tournament and the worlds did not take place. USA Hockey does not count that 1960 title. Switzerland, last year's runner-up, has never won the tournament. Scoreless in regulation The tightly contested game was scoreless in regulation with both goaltenders holding firm. Conor Garland wasted a penalty shot 5:38 into the middle period. The U.S. began to mount pressure in the middle period, outshooting the Swiss 17-9, and went on with 11 shots on goal against four in the third. Swayman had a perfect 7-0 record at the worlds. 'We did it, the wait is over,' Swayman said in a post on social media. 'Thanks for sticking along with us. It's going to be a great summer.' Amid the celebrations on the ice, the U.S. players displayed Johnny Gaudreau 's jersey to honour the forward who was killed with his brother Matt in late August riding their bicycles in their home state of New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie's wedding. Gaudreau leads the U.S. all-time scoring table at the worlds with 43 points. Third medal for Thompson Switzerland shut out the U.S. 3-0 in the group stage of the tournament, the Americans' only defeat. After winning bronze in 2018 and 2021, Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres earned his third medal and tied Allen Van (two silver, one bronze) for the most decorated U.S. player at the worlds. All players on the U.S. team except the three goaltenders registered at least a point at the tournament with the 21-year-old Frank Nazar the leading point getter with six goals and six assists. Switzerland lost the fourth final since the playoff system was introduced in 1992. It was beaten by Sweden in 2013 and 2018 and by the Czechs last year. Bronze medal for Sweden Mikael Backlund and Marcus Johansson scored two goals each as Sweden beat Denmark 6-2 to take the bronze medal earlier Sunday. It was the second straight third-place finish for Sweden while fourth place was the best-ever result for Denmark, which upset Canada in the quarterfinals. Lucas Raymond and Mika Zibanejad also scored for the winners while Nick Olesen and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for Denmark. ___ AP sports: The Associated Press
Forbes
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
USA Hockey Wins First Worlds Gold Since 1933 On Tage Thompson's Goal
The drought is over. For the first time in nearly a century, USA Hockey has won gold at the 2025 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship. 'We addressed it — since 1933. We were embarrassed by it,' said U.S. head coach Ryan Warsofsky. 'And now we've put it to rest.' Sunday's gold-medal game in Stockholm was a goaltending duel between the United States and Switzerland. It went to overtime tied 0-0 after 60 minutes. Then, 2:02 into sudden death, with both teams playing 3-on-3, Tage Thompson broke into the offensive zone with Logan Cooley on a 2-on-1. One of hockey's hardest and most dangerous shooters, the 6-foot-6 center for the Buffalo Sabres used Swiss defender Jonas Siegenthaler as a screen and beat goaltender Leonardo Genoni high to his blocker side to ignite the celebration that has been 92 years in the making. It was the Americans' 40th shot of the game on Genoni, who made 23 saves when Switzerland beat the United States 3-0 during round-robin play. Genoni also earned shutouts in Switzerland's two previous knockout-round games as his team beat Austria 6-0 in the quarterfinals and Denmark 7-0 in the semifinals. Finishing the tournament with seven goals allowed in seven games for a 0.99 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage, 37-year-old Genoni was named tournament MVP. But even though the Swiss finished as the highest-scoring team in the tournament, they were shut out in the gold-medal game for the second-straight year, after losing 2-0 to Czechia in 2024. At the other end of the ice, Team USA's Jeremy Swayman went 7-0-0 in his second world championship appearance. He gave up 12 goals over those seven games for a 1.69 GAA and .921 save percentage, and logged two shutouts. The Americans were the tournament's second highest-scoring team, finishing with 46 goals in 10 games. They were also the youngest team in the tournament, with an average age of 24, and the roster was assembled by GMs Jeff Kealty and John Vanbiesbrouck with an eye toward giving a larger role to younger players who had already won on the international stage, whether that was at the world U18s or the world junior championship. That thinking paid off. After losing 12-straight times in the semi-finals, the Americans dominated the host Swedes with a 6-2 win on Saturday to advance to the final and end the drought. Of course, the U.S. did win gold medals at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley and the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. While there was no standalone world championship in either of those years, the International Ice Hockey Federation does not count Olympic gold toward world championship totals. In the bronze-medal game earlier on Sunday, Sweden defeated Denmark 6-2. While the Americans also beat third-ranked Finland 5-2 in their quarter-final game, they did not have to go through the top-ranked Canadians. In one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, the Canadians were eliminated by No. 11 Denmark in their quarter-final match. Playing on their home soil in the tournament's second venue in Herning, the Danes advanced to the playoff round with a shootout win over Germany in their final round-robin game. The win over Canada was their first in program history in the knockout round. The Canadian roster was anchored by goaltender Jordan Binnington, who help his country win the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. It also featured 4 Nations stars Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim along with 2024 first-overall draft pick Macklin Celebrini and 2025 draft-eligible forward Porter Martone. The U.S. worlds roster featured just two players who suited up at 4 Nations: Swayman — who did not see any game action in February — and Zach Werenski. He was named best defenseman and earned a spot on the world championship media all-star team. Some others who just missed the cut in February signed on for worlds in hopes of of bolstering their cases when U.S. general manager Bill Guerin makes his final roster decisions for the 2026 Winter Olympics. That list includes golden goal-scorer Thompson — whose 4 Nations snub triggered 18 goals in 28 games after the February break, tying Alex Ovechkin for the most in the NHL. U.S. worlds captain Clayton Keller of the Utah Mammoth also had a strong finish to his season after missing the cut for 4 Nations, finishing with 30 points in 26 games. The Americans' long sought-after worlds win caps off an outstanding year for USA Hockey. The U.S. programs also brought home gold at the 2025 world junior championship and 2025 women's world championship, and won silver at the women's U18 tournament and bronze at the men's U18s.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
U.S. men's hockey team makes world championship final, best since 1950
The U.S. men's hockey team reached the final of the world championship, ensuring its best finish at a standalone worlds since 1950. The Americans beat host Sweden 6-2 in Saturday's semifinal on goals from Brady Skjei, Cutter Gauthier, Conor Garland, Mikey Eyssimont, Jackson LaCombe and Shane Pinto. Advertisement Later Saturday, Denmark plays Switzerland for the other spot in Sunday's final. Neither nation has ever won a world title. The U.S.' last silver at a standalone worlds came in 1950. Its lone gold at a standalone worlds came in 1933. For a time, the Olympics also counted as world championships. The U.S.' Olympic medals in 1952 (silver), 1956 (silver) and 1960 (gold) were also world championship medals. The U.S.' last Olympic men's hockey title came in 1980. The U.S. was eliminated from worlds in the quarterfinals last year. The Americans were fourth at worlds in 2022 and 2023 and have made the semifinals 13 times since the IIHF reinstituted a bracketed playoff round in 1992. Advertisement Before this year, their best finish in that span was third place overall, having lost their previous 12 semifinals. The U.S. team at these worlds features two players from last February's 4 Nations Face-Off: goalie Jeremy Swayman and defenseman Zach Werenski, who led all players at 4 Nations with six points. Many top NHL players miss worlds because the tournament takes place during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The U.S. head coach at worlds is the San Jose Sharks' Ryan Warsofsky. The U.S. has already qualified for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, where NHL players are expected to participate for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games. Advertisement The U.S. head coach for the Olympics is the New York Rangers' Mike Sullivan. HOCKEY: FEB 11 Women's Rivalry Series - USA vs Canada Hilary Knight, fulfilled, eyes fifth, final Olympics in 2026 Hilary Knight can break the U.S. record for Olympic hockey appearances in 2026.
