The U.S. is on top for the first time defeating Canada 2-1 on February 6, 1933, in the former Czechoslovakia.
USA ALL THE WAY!
The U.S. men’s hockey team secured its first standalone world championship since 1933, beating Switzerland 1-0 in overtime in Sunday’s final in Stockholm, Sweden.
Tage Thompson scored in overtime to give the U.S. its first major tournament title since the 1996 World Cup. The last Olympic gold came in 1980 with the Miracle on Ice.
Jeremy Swayman, who plays for the Boston Bruins, made 25 saves.
The head coach of the U.S. team is Ryan Warsofsky, who currently serves in the same position with the San Jose Sharks.
For a brief time, the Olympics also counted as world champions, so technically speaking, the U.S. gold medal from the 1960 Olympic Games, is also a world championship medal. However, unlike the IIHF World Championship, it is not a standalone event.
The U.S. suffered a defeat in the quarterfinal round of last year’s event and failed to medal in 2022 and 2023. Prior to their defeat over Sweden on Saturday, the U.S. had lost 12 semifinals in a row. However, the depth of Team USA was the difference. Goals from six different players helped propel the U.S. to a 6-2 triumph against Sweden, which advanced them to their first gold medal game since 1934.
The U.S. team featured two players from February’s 4 Nations Face-Off: Swayman and star defenseman Zach Werenski, who led the tournament with six points. Canada scored the win in the event, which was their fourth consecutive best-on-best international tournament. Connor McDavid scored in overtime to secure the 3-2 win and the gold medal for his native homeland, while the Americans had to settle for silver.
The U.S. has already qualified for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, where NHL players can participate for the first time of the 2014 Sochi Games in Russia.
Two-time Stanley Cup-winning head coach Mike Sullivan will serve as head coach of the U.S. Olympic team.