Defending champion United States rode the Boston College line and a strong first period to a 7-2 quarterfinal rout of Switzerland at the world junior hockey championship.
Captain Ryan Leonard scored twice on Thursday as did James Hagens, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL draft. Gabe Perreault, their Boston College teammate, had three assists as the USA reached the semifinals for the third year in a row.
The Americans’ opponent for Saturday’s game won’t be determined until the last two quarterfinals (Finland vs. Slovakia and Czechia vs. Canada) are played. The USA won gold in 2024 and bronze in 2023.
The United States forced Swiss goalie Christian Kirsch out of the net with three goals in less than five minutes during the first period. Boston University’s Brandon Svoboda scored a bad-angle goal, then Hagens and Leonard scored. Leonard intercepted a pass and drove to the net on a power move to put the puck past Kirsch, who was pulled for Elijah Neuenschwander.
After giving up a short-handed goal that made it 3-1, the USA got the three-goal lead back when Notre Dame’s Danny Nelson scored his fourth goal of the tournament.
The USA built on their 4-1 lead with three goals in the second period. Leonard drew a high-sticking penalty after a physical shift, and Denver University defenseman Zeev Buium scored on the power play. Perreault drew the primary assist on that goal, plus goals by Hagens and Leonard (power play).
Leonard was hit in the face by a deflected puck in the third period to go along with the cut from the high stick. He returned and was named U.S. player of the game.
Western Michigan goalie Hampton Slukynsky got the start for the USA and made 17 saves.
Today’s world juniors hockey schedule, scores
All times p.m. ET
Germany 4, Kazakhstan 3 (Kazakhstan is relegated to a lower tier)
No. 1 Sweden 3, No. 4 Latvia 2
No. 1 United States 7, No. 4 Switzerland 2
No. 2 Finland 5, No. 3 Slovakia 3
No. 2 Czechia vs. No. 3 Canada quarterfinal, 7:30, NHLN, TSN
How to watch world juniors hockey playoffs?
The games will air on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.
World juniors hockey scores
Dec. 26
Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
United States 10, Germany 4
Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
Canada 4, Finland 0
Dec. 27
Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
Finland 3, Germany 1
Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)
Dec. 28
Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
United States 5, Latvia 1
Dec. 29
Sweden 7, Switzerland 5
Finland 4, United States 3 (OT)
Czechia 4, Slovakia 2
Canada 3, Germany 0
Dec. 30
Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)
Dec. 31
Switzerland 3, Kazakhstan 1
Finland 3, Latvia 0
Sweden 4, Czechia 2
United States 4, Canada 1
World juniors hockey playoff round
All times Eastern
Jan. 2 (quarterfinals)
Sweden 3, Latvia 2
United States 7, Switzerland 2
Finland 5, Slovakia 3
Czechia vs. Canada, 7:30, NHLN, TSN
Jan. 4
Semifinal 1 3:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN
Semifinal 2 7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN
Jan. 5
Third-place game, 3:30, NHLN, TSN
Championship game, 7:30, NHLN, TSN