Team USA honors late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau after Olympic gold win
After winning Olympic gold, Team USA hockey honored late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau by carrying his jersey and inviting his kids onto the ice.
The United States is in danger of going from a 2025 gold medal to missing the 2026 quarterfinals after Latvia pulled off a big upset at the men’s hockey world championships.
Latvia moved past the Americans into fourth place − the cutoff line to advance − with a 4-2 victory on Saturday, May 23. But then Germany passed both teams with a victory against Austria on Saturday.
The standings after Saturday’s games: Austria (third with nine points), Germany (fourth with seven points), Latvia (fifth with six points) and USA (sixth with five points). Germany has one game left and Austria, Latvia and the USA have two left (see scenarios below).
The USA, which has only two returnees from last year’s team, badly outshot Latvia in the first two periods, tying the game on a Matthew Tkachuk power play goal. But Latvia had the better chances in the third period and took a 2-1 lead on a Deniss Smirnovs goal. Sandis Vilmanis, Latvia’s lone NHL player (Panthers) scored two empty netters, surrounding a Mathieu Olivier goal, to make it 4-2.
Kristers Gudlevskis made 45 saves and was named Latvia’s player of the game. U.S. Olympian Tkachuk (goal, assist) was the top USA player.
USA TODAY provided live updates on the USA vs. Latvia game at the IIHF men’s hockey world championship. Here are highlights:
If the Americans win their final two games (Hungary, Austria) in regulation, they will finish with 11 points. Germany, which plays last-place Great Britain, can finish with a maximum of 10 points. Latvia, which faces Great Britain and Hungary, can finish with 12 points. Austria would have 12 points if it beats powerhouse Finland in regulation, which would make the final game with the USA moot.
The USA’s best chance for reaching the quarterfinals is for it to beat Hungary on Monday and for Austria to lose to Finland on Sunday. Then if the Americans beat Austria on Tuesday, they advance.
The USA will face Hungary on Monday, May 25. It finishes the preliminary round against third-place Austria on Tuesday.
A big upset by Latvia, which moves into fourth place with the win. The USA is below the cut line for the quarterfinals with two games left. After being badly outshot, Latvia had the better chances in the third period for the win.
It’s 4-2 Latvia after another empty net goal.
Mathieu Olivier scores a 6-on-5 goal after a Matthew Tkachuk pass. Latvia 3, USA 2
Sandis Vilmanis scores into the empty net with 1:02 left. Latvia 3, USA 1
The Americans have the extra skater on with 2:13 left.
2-1 Latvia.
Renars Krastenbergs is called for hooking. Devin Cooley is forced to make a big save after a Justin Faulk turnover. Matthew Tkachuk is stopped on a rebound and Cooley stops a 2-on-1 Latvia break. Power play is over.
2-1 Latvia. The Latvians are outshooting the USA 6-4 in the period and have had several good chances in addition to the goal.
Devin Cooley makes the initial save on a Rudolfs Balcers shot but Sandis Vilmanis picks up the rebound, spins and feeds Deniss Smirnovs for the go-ahead goal.
He stops a shot from the point and a rebound in close to keep the game tied.
1-1 tie. The USA stays in fourth place if it wins. Latvia moves into fourth with a victory.
The Americans continue to outshoot Latvia badly and they connect in that period. Matthew Tkachuk gets the goal with eight seconds left in a power play after a USA faceoff win. The Florida Panthers star and U.S. Olympian arrived in Switzerland the day before the USA-Germany game and picks up his first goal and first point in his second game. “Definitely more energy,” he told TSN about how he feels. Shots are 36-11 through two periods.
Matthew Tkachuk breaks through for the USA’s first goal with a deflection in front. It comes on the USA’s 34th shot of the game. Oliver Moore and Danny Nelson get the assists. USA 1, Latvia 1
Haralds Egle scored against Devin Cooley at 8:47 to give Latvia the lead. The USA outshot Latvia 18-5 in the first period but couldn’t beat Kristers Gudlevskis, a 2013 Lightning draft pick who played three NHL games.
USA vs. Latvia: How to watch, stream
Date: Saturday, May 23
Time: 6:20 a.m. ET
Location: Swiss Life Arena (Zurich, Switzerland)
TV: NHL Network
Streaming: Fubo and certain tiers of Sling carry NHL Network.
