Four different players scored and Devin Cooley (Los Gatos, Calif./Calgary Flames) made 25 saves to lift the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 4-1 victory over Austria here in its seventh and final preliminary round game of the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship at Swiss Life Arena.
With the win, the U.S. earned a spot in Thursday’s (May 28) quarterfinals where it will face Canada in Fribourg, Switzerland, at BCF Arena. Game time will be established following the conclusion of tonight’s games and the contest will be televised live on NHL Network and live streamed on the NHL YouTube channel.
“I liked our game overall and thought our goaltending was excellent,” said Don Granato, head coach of the 2026 U.S. Men’s National Team. “We look forward to the challenge ahead in facing Canada on Thursday.”
Connor Clifton (Matawan, N.J./Pittsburgh Penguins) opened the scoring 5:34 into the contest, faking a shot from the point before shifting to his right and capitalizing on a wrister from above the circles. Will Borgen (Moorhead, Minn./New York Rangers) and Alex Steeves (Eden Prairie, Minn./Boston Bruins) collected helpers on the play.
Just 45 seconds later, Ryan Ufko (Smithtown, N.Y./Milwaukee Admirals) doubled Team USA’s lead, scoring on a one-timer from just inside the blue line off a feed from Tommy Novak (River Falls, Wis./Pittsburgh Penguins) at 6:19.
Early in the middle stanza, Paul Cotter (Canton, Mich./New Jersey Devils) gave the U.S. a 3-0 lead after cleaning up a rebound chance after a deflection by Mathieu Olivier (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus Blue Jackets) with a top-shelf wrist shot from below the left circle at the 1:07 mark.
At 11:52 of the second frame, Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo./Florida Panthers) put Team USA up 4-0 with a power-play tally, batting the puck home through traffic and capitalizing on a rebound opportunity from just outside the crease. Matt Coronato (Greenlawn, N.Y./Calgary Flames) and Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass./Washington Capitals) notched assists on the play.
With 3:50 remaining in the middle stanza, Austria’s Simeon Schwinger, who was screening Cooley at the top of the crease, deflected a shot from the point that found the back of the net to make it a 4-1 game.
The U.S. maintained its lead for the remainder of the contest, with both sides held scoreless in the third.
Cooley stopped 25 of 26 shots to earn a win in goal for Team USA.
NOTES: Team USA outshot Austria, 36-26 … The U.S. was 1-3 on the power play, while Austria was 0-2 … Connor Clifton was named U.S. Player of the Game.