Despite Heavy Resistance, Team USA Takes Commanding Win Over Switzerland

The third day of the 2022 World Juniors capped off with a matchup between Team USA and Team Switzerland. USA came off of a 5-1 win over Team Germany in their opening match of the tournament. Meanwhile, the Swiss lost a tight 3-2 affair to a very strong Team Sweden. The pesky team from Switzerland has made significant improvements to their international hockey program, generating talents like Roman Josi, Timo Meier, and Nico Hischier in recent years. On the other end, the reigning gold medal winning Team USA looks to repeat for the first time ever.

The first period would end scoreless, as goaltenders Kaiden Mbereko (USA) and Kevin Pasche (SUI) each stopped all seven shots they faced. Team Switzerland did everything they could to rob the star-studded American team of any time and space to create chances and even earned a few themselves. Team USA was the heavy favorite coming in, but clearly this Swiss group doesn't have time for all that. Just like they did in their game against the Swedes, they came to play.

As the second frame commenced, Team USA started to assert their will and pinned the Swiss in their own end. Feeling the pressure, Swiss F Nicolas Baechlor took a holding penalty about six minutes in. Florida Panthers' prospect Mackie Samoskevich made a beautiful pass to Carter Mazur, who would make the Swiss pay, after Luke Hughes and Thomas Bordeleau each made key plays to keep US offensive zone possession:

Team USA started to buzz after that momentum boost, but Team Switzerland's resilience stood strong. Swiss F Joel Henry took advantage of an odd breakaway and went backhand-five-hole to tie the game at one a side:

Team Switzerland's performance tonight was seriously impressive. All guts, no glory. They were laying the body all night, knocking the Americans off of every puck from the opening faceoff. There is something about watching underdogs frustrate a top opponent.

Unfortunately, they are still underdogs. And only a couple of minutes would pass after Henry's goal before Minnesota Wild prospect D Brock Faber would bury a chance from the point, giving the US a 2-1 lead over Switzerland:

In the time it took me to copy and paste Faber's goal, Red Wings' prospect Carter Mazur would bury another to give the US a 3-1 lead and effectively burying a gassed Team Switzerland:

What a feed by Landon Slaggert. It would go downhill fast for the Swiss here, with Slaggert scoring just minutes later off of a clean faceoff win by Thomas Bordeleau. Going to plug this here for no reason whatsoever.

The line of Slaggert-Bordeleau-Mazur would score pretty much every time they touched the ice in the second period. I have to give the Swiss credit for playing a great first half of this game, but Team USA just took the reins in the middle frame and never looked back. Luke Hughes was all over this game, and Flames' prospect Matt Coronato would tip his point shot to score USA's fifth of the game in the dying seconds of the period:

With a five-goal second period, the USA did what most of us thought they would and dominate Team Switzerland. Although, the Swiss didn't go down without a fight. They battled the entire game, Team USA was simply too hot to handle in this one. Thomas Bordeleau would hammer home a one-timer off the pass from Luke Hughes to make it 6-1 in the third:

Final Score: USA - 7 v. Switzerland - 1

Team USA has the day off on Friday before taking on Team Austria on Saturday afternoon. Switzerland gets the night game against Team Germany on Saturday night, as they look to keep their tournament hopes alive with a win over their neighbors.

Player of the Game:

Team USA: Carter Mazur (CHI)

Team Switzerland: Dario Allenspach

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