Nazar rallies US past Czechs to play Finland at quarters at ice hockey worlds, Canada tops Sweden

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Frank Nazar scored twice to assist the USA rally for a 5-2 victory over the Czech Republic and hand the titleholder its first defeat on the ice hockey world championship on Tuesday.

The victory lifted the Individuals to second place in Group B in Herning, Denmark. Switzerland gained the group, with the Czechs ending third and Denmark fourth.

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Finland’s Jesper Mattila, center, in action in front of Slovakia goalkeeper Samuel Hlavaj, left, and Mislav Rosandic, right, during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovakia and Finland in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Canada’s Macklin Celebrini, heart, celebrates scoring with teammates in the course of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Sweden and Canada in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT Information Company through AP)

Canada’s Macklin Celebrini (96) scores previous Sweden’s goalkeeper Jacob Markström throughout a Group A match between Sweden and Canada on the hockey world championships, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025, at Avicii Enviornment in Stockholm, Sweden. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT Information Company through AP)

United States’ Frank Nazar celebrates after scoring in opposition to the Czech Republic throughout a Group B match on the hockey world championships, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025, in Herning, Denmark. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix through AP)

United States’ Frank Nazar (910) celebrates with teammates after scoring in opposition to the Czech Republic throughout a Group B match on the hockey world championships, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025, in Herning, Denmark. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix through AP)

Frank Nazar of the USA, left, scores previous Czech Republic goalkeeper Karel Vejmelka and Libor Hajek, heart, throughout a Group B match between Czech Republic and the US on the hockey world championships in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix through AP)

Finland’s Jesper Mattila, heart, in motion in entrance of Slovakia goalkeeper Samuel Hlavaj, left, and Mislav Rosandic, proper, in the course of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovakia and Finland in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT Information Company through AP)

Tage Thompson of the US, entrance, and Czech Republic goalkeeper Karel Vejmelka in motion throughout a Group B match between Czech Republic’ and the US on the hockey world championships in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix through AP)

Switzerland’s Sven Andrighetto, left, celebrates his aspect’s second purpose in the course of the IIHF 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship group B match between Switzerland and Kazakhstan in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone through AP)

Austria’s Thomas Raffl, left, celebrates after scoring his aspect’s fourth purpose in the course of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Latvia and Austria in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025. (Pontus Lundahl/TT Information Company through AP)

Switzerland’s Kevin Fiala, proper, scores his aspect’s first purpose in the course of the IIHF 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship group B match between Switzerland and Kazakhstan in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, Might 20, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone through AP)

Tuesday’s outcomes decided the pairings for the quarterfinals on Thursday: Canada vs. Denmark, the USA vs. Finland, Sweden vs. Czech Republic and Switzerland vs. Austria.

“I loved our effort and how we played to our identity,” U.S. head coach Ryan Warsofsky stated. “Give our power play credit too. Overall, great team effort and a good step forward as we continue to build.”

Nazar deflected a shot into the online to tie the sport at 2-2 1:35 into the ultimate interval on an influence play. He scored once more on one other energy play for the 21-year-old Chicago Blackhawks ahead’s sixth purpose on the event.

Logan Cooley roofed a shot from shut vary to make it 4-2 with 6:31 to go and Andrew Peeke completed it off with a purpose into an empty internet.

Josh Doan gave the Individuals a 1-0 lead 9:25 into the sport on a rebound with a backhand between the pads of goalie Karel Vejmelka.

The U.S. dominated the primary interval, outshooting its opponent 23-8. The Czechs got here again within the second, as David Pastrnak tied the sport on a breakway 41 seconds into the interval by beating his Boston Bruins teammate Swayman for his sixth purpose on the event.

Pastrnak then arrange Martin Necas within the left circle to one-time a shot that put the Czechs 2-1 up 8:33 into the center interval.

In Stockholm, Canada accomplished the preliminary stage with a 5-3 victory over Sweden to rebound from Monday’s 2-1 loss to Finland. Canada topped Group A with 19 factors, with Sweden one level behind and Finland one other two factors again.

Defenseman Travis Sanheim was in entrance of the purpose to place Canada forward 18 seconds into the sport, the second quickest purpose on the event. Elias Lindholm scored the equalizer 3:29 later with a shorthanded purpose on a breakaway along with his seventh purpose.

Tyson Foerster beat goalie Jacob Markstrom to revive Canadas lead and Ryan O’Reilly made it 3-1 in opposition to a workforce that had solely conceded three targets in whole in its six earlier video games on the worlds.

The Swedish workforce used a 5-on-3 energy play to cut back the deficit by Marcus Johansson 3:02 into the center interval, however Macklin Celebrini collected a by go from captain Sidney Crosby to revive a two-goal benefit on a breakaway halfway by the body.

Travis Konecny was on his knees when he arrange MacKinnon for the fifth 4:11 into the ultimate interval — certainly one of his three assists within the sport.

The Swedes pulled Markstrom with 4:12 to go and Rasmus Andersson pulled one purpose again.

Earlier, Austria reached the playoffs for the primary time in 31 years after it defeated Latvia 6-1 and have become the fourth and last workforce to advance to the quarterfinals from Group A.

Finland defeated Slovakia 2-1.

Switzerland beat Kazakhstan 4-1.

Kazakhstan was relegated after 5 years within the prime division.

Denmark prevailed 2-1 over Germany after a penalty shootout to develop into the fourth and last workforce from Group B to advance.

AP sports activities:

President Vladimir Putin visited Russia’s Kursk area for the primary time since Moscow claimed that it drove Ukrainian forces out of the world final month, the Kremlin stated Wednesday.

Putin visited the area bordering Ukraine the day past, in accordance with the Kremlin.

Ukrainian forces made a shock incursion into Kursk in August 2024 in certainly one of their greatest battlefield successes within the greater than three-year warfare. The incursion was the primary time Russian territory was occupied by an invader since World Warfare II and dealt a humiliating blow to the Kremlin.

For the reason that finish of 2023, Russia has principally had the benefit on the battlefield, aside from Kursk.

North Korea despatched as much as 12,000 troops to assist the Russian military take again management of Kursk, in accordance with Ukraine, the U.S. and South Korea. Russia introduced on April 26 that its forces had pushed out the Ukrainian military. Kyiv officers denied the declare.

The Ukrainian Military Basic Workers stated Wednesday that its forces repelled 13 Russian assaults in Kursk. Its map of navy exercise confirmed Ukrainian troops holding a skinny line of land arduous in opposition to the border however nonetheless inside Russia.

Putin’s unannounced go to gave the impression to be an effort to indicate Russia is accountable for the battle — though its full-scale invasion of its neighbor has been sluggish and expensive by way of casualties and tools — amid latest U.S. and European proposals for a ceasefire that Putin has successfully rejected.

Video broadcast by Russian state media confirmed that Putin visited Kursk Nuclear Energy Plant-2, which continues to be below development, and met with chosen volunteers behind closed doorways.

Most of the volunteers wore garments emblazoned with the Russian flag and the Latin letters “Z” and “V”, that are symbols of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“What you are doing now during this difficult situation for this region, for this area, and for the country, will remain with you for the rest of your life as, perhaps, the most meaningful thing with which you were ever involved,” Putin stated as he drank tea with the volunteers.

Ukraine’s shock thrust into Kursk and its means to carry land there was a logistical feat, carried out in secrecy, that countered months of gloomy information from the entrance about Ukrainian forces being pushed backward by the larger Russian military.

Kyiv’s technique aimed to indicate that Russia has weaknesses and that the warfare is not misplaced. It additionally sought to distract Russian forces from their onslaught within the jap Donetsk area of Ukraine.

The transfer was fraught with threat. Analysts famous that it might backfire and open a door for Russian advances in Ukraine by additional stretching Ukrainian forces which might be short-handed alongside the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) entrance line.

The incursion didn’t considerably change the dynamics of the warfare.

Putin advised appearing Kursk Gov. Alexander Khinshtein that the Kremlin supported the concept of constant month-to-month funds to displaced households that also could not return to their properties.

Putin stated that he would again a proposal to construct a museum within the area to rejoice what appearing Gov. Alexander Khinshtein described as “the heroism of our defenders and the heroism of the region’s residents.”

Disgruntled residents had beforehand proven their disapproval over a scarcity of compensation in uncommon organized protests.

Putin final visited the Kursk area in March, when Ukrainian troops nonetheless managed some components of the world. He wore navy fatigues – a hardly ever seen sight for the Russian chief, who normally wears a go well with – and visited the world’s navy headquarters the place he was filmed with prime generals.

Russia’s Ministry of Protection stated that its air defenses shot down 159 Ukrainian drones throughout the nation in a single day, together with 53 over the Oryol area and 51 over the Bryansk area.

In Ukraine, Russian drone assaults killed two individuals and wounded 5 others within the northern Sumy area, the regional administration stated.

Within the Kyiv area, 4 members of a household have been injured when particles from a downed drone hit their dwelling, in accordance with the regional administration.

Russia launched 76 Shahed and decoy drones in a single day at Ukraine, the Ukrainian air power stated.

Comply with AP’s protection of the warfare in Ukraine at