With a heroic goal from Tage Thompson in overtime, the United States beat Switzerland, 1-0, to capture the country’s first gold medal in the IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship since 1933.
As Andrew Podnieks of IIHF.com reports, Thompson beat goalie and tournament MVP Leonardo Genoni to the blocker side with 17:58 remaining in overtime to score the game’s only goal. Thompson erupted in celebration, jumping into the corner boards before being mobbed by his teammates. Unsurprisingly, Thompson was named Player of the Game. The goal was assisted by Logan Cooley and Brady Skjei.
The U.S. controlled the game and led in shots 40-25, but Genoni continued to turn aside quality scoring chances until Thompson was able to deliver the golden goal. His saves included stopping Conor Garland on a penalty shot. Incredibly, Thompson’s goal broke Genoni’s 243:27 shutout streak that spanned five games and included three consecutive shutouts.
On the other end, Boston Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman stopped every shot that came his way, backstopping his country to a gold medal. After falling 3-0 to Switzerland earlier in the tournament, the U.S. got its revenge in the rematch thanks in large part to Swayman’s performance.
In a touching tribute following the contest, U.S. players draped a Johnny Gaudreau jersey over the trophy. Gaudreau, who tallied 43 points in five appearances in the tournament, remains a key source of inspiration for U.S. teams. As team leaders posed for photos before lifting the trophy, Gaudreau’s number 13 stood front and center — a fitting symbol of his impact on American hockey.
The championship victory represents America’s first major win in international play since the 1996 World Cup.
