In an exciting preliminary-round matchup at the World Junior Championship on Saturday night, the United States managed to fend off Switzerland with a close score of 2-1. The game took place in St. Paul, Minnesota, where both teams displayed determination and skill.
Brodie Ziemer was the first to find the net for the U.S., scoring just 1:12 into the second period. He fired a pinpoint shot past Swiss goaltender Christian Kirsch, igniting the American offense. Assists were credited to James Hagens and Will Horcoff as the team took an early lead with a quick transition effort.
However, Switzerland bounced back when Basile Sansonnens tied the game at 1-1 later in the period, netting a solid shot from a distance at 12:34. This goal was set up by teammates Joel Grossniklaus and Lars Steiner, showcasing Switzerland’s resilience.
In a swift response, the Americans regained the lead just two minutes later, thanks to Will Zellers, who scored from a difficult angle near the left baseline during a fast break. Cole McKinney provided the assist on Zellers’ goal, which ultimately proved to be the decisive score of the match.
As the game progressed, the third period remained scoreless despite both teams pushing hard for another goal. Switzerland opted to pull Kirsch for an extra attacker in the closing minutes, while the U.S. previously used the same strategy, but neither side could convert those late opportunities.
The match was briefly interrupted in the second period when U.S. defenseman Cole Hutson suffered a hit that led to him being stretchered off the ice. He was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation and did not return to the game.
Looking ahead, Switzerland will play Germany on Tuesday, while the U.S. prepares to face Slovakia on Monday in their next preliminary-round contests.
In other preliminary-round action, Canada edged out Latvia 2-1, with Michael Hage scoring the winning goal in overtime, and Czechia showcased dominance with a 7-2 victory over Denmark. Slovakia also had a strong showing, defeating Germany 4-1 with Tomas Chrenko achieving a natural hat trick.
The tournament continues to deliver thrilling hockey moments, with teams displaying their grit and tenacity as they compete for top honors.