U.S. Defeats Czech Republic, Secures Second in World Hockey Group B

The United States defeated defending champions Czech Republic 5-2 in a heated match at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, securing second place in Group B and setting up a quarter-final clash with Finland. Josh Doan opened the scoring for the U.S., who dominated the first and third periods, outshooting the Czechs 56-27 overall, with Frank Nazar scoring twice on power plays in the final period to seal the victory. Czech goals came from David Pastrnak, who also leads the tournament in points, and Martin Necas, but the Czechs lost their chance to top the group, finishing third behind Switzerland, who won Group B. Canada topped their group after a 5-3 win over Sweden, while Austria reached the playoffs for the first time since 1994 following a 6-1 victory over Latvia. The U.S. victory was marked by intense play and multiple lead changes, with strong goaltending from Jeremy Swayman for the U.S. and Karel Vejmelka for the Czechs. The tournament continues with key quarter-final matchups, including Switzerland versus Austria and the U.S. against Finland.