USA outplayed Hungary in Zurich and stayed in the fight for the World Championship quarterfinals with a 7:3 victory
The United States defeated Hungary 7:3 in a preliminary-round Group A game of the Men's Ice Hockey World Championship, played on May 25, 2026, at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich. According to the official game report of the International Ice Hockey Federation, the game began at 16:20 local time, ended at 18:50, and was attended by 5,813 spectators. The American national team gained an advantage already in the first period, after which it led 2:0, and then further increased the margin in the second period and controlled the game in the final twenty minutes despite Hungary's attempt to come back. The official score by periods was 2:0, 3:1 and 2:2, which clearly shows that Hungary offered the most resistance in the closing stage, but not enough to threaten the opponent's victory. For the USA, it was a victory of great significance both in terms of the score and psychologically because the team, according to the Associated Press report, remained in the race for a place in the quarterfinals ahead of the final group game against Austria.
The American attack decided it already in the first two periods
The Americans opened the game much more aggressively and already in the first period created a large difference in the number of shots on goal. According to official IIHF statistics, the USA had 21 shots on goal in the first twenty minutes, while Hungary took only four in the same stretch. That balance of power first brought a goal by Justin Faulk at 9:43, after an assist from Tommy Novak, and then a goal by Matthew Tkachuk on the power play at 18:22. Hungarian goaltender Adam Vay stopped a series of dangerous attempts during that period, but the pressure from the American national team was constant and varied. The USA led 2:0 after the first period, although based on the flow of play the advantage could have been even more convincing.
In the second period, the American national team continued to use quick entries into the attacking zone and better execution in special situations. Ryan Leonard made it 3:0 at 22:09, again after Novak's assist, and Faulk scored his second goal of the game at 27:52, this time on the power play. Hungary responded through Csanad Erdely at 30:19, after a play in which Istvan Terbocs and Balazs Sebok recorded assists. That goal briefly changed the rhythm, but by the end of the period the USA had already restored a four-goal lead. Leonard scored at 38:13, also on the power play, for 5:1, giving the American team a calmer entry into the final twenty minutes.
Hungary came back to 5:3, but the finish belonged to the USA
The Hungarian national team did not fall apart after the heavy deficit, but played its most concrete part of the game in the third period. Erdely scored his second goal of the game at 47:15, with assists from Milan Horvath and Janos Hari, cutting the score to 5:2. At 54:09, Gabor Tornyai scored for 5:3 after passes from Terbocs and Sebok, bringing the Hungarian team back into the game at least on the scoreboard. However, the American bench did not allow the pressure to turn into a dramatic finish. Tkachuk scored into the empty net at 56:45, after Hungary pulled its goaltender in an attempt to apply additional pressure, and Max Plante set the final 7:3 with 27 seconds remaining.
According to the official IIHF report, the American national team finished the game with a total of 46 shots on goal, compared with Hungary's 17. Joseph Woll saved 14 of 17 shots for the USA, while Adam Vay had 39 saves at the other end. In special-teams statistics, the difference was even more pronounced: the USA converted three power-play situations, while Hungary did not capitalize on any. The IIHF report emphasized that the American power play was one of the key elements of the victory, and this is confirmed by the fact that three of the USA's first five goals came with a numerical advantage on the ice. Hungary had more penalty minutes, 12 compared with the Americans' four, which further complicated its attempt to play evenly against a faster and deeper opponent.
Novak with five assists, Tkachuk and Faulk among the key players
The most outstanding individual for the American national team was Tommy Novak, who, according to the official game report, recorded five assists. In its report, the IIHF stated that Novak finished just one assist short of the World Championship record for assists in a single game. Matthew Tkachuk finished the game with two goals and two assists, while Justin Faulk and Ryan Leonard scored the same number of goals. In addition to two goals, Faulk also added an assist, giving him, as a defenseman, an exceptionally important role in the offensive production. Max Plante also scored for the American team, with his goal in the final minute serving as the closing confirmation of a convincing victory.
After the game, USA Hockey published a statement from head coach Don Granato, who emphasized that the team showed good focus and a response after earlier difficulties in the group. Granato particularly highlighted the intention to send pucks toward the goal more often, which was clearly visible in the overall shot total. According to the same source, the American team was satisfied with the way it reacted in a game it had to win in order to remain in a promising position for the quarterfinals. Captain Justin Faulk, according to the IIHF report, assessed that the team did the job that was in front of it and that it must immediately turn its focus to the next game. That tone of statements shows that the victory over Hungary is viewed in the American camp as a necessary step, not as a finished job.
Hungary showed a response, but could not keep up with the tempo
Although Hungary lost by four goals, its performance in the closing stage showed that the team did not give up even after falling behind 1:5. Csanad Erdely was the most dangerous Hungarian player and finished the game with two goals, while Terbocs and Sebok each recorded two assists. Tornyai's goal for 5:3 gave Hungary a brief period of hope, but the difference in roster depth and execution in special situations remained too great. Adam Vay conceded seven goals, but the number of his saves shows that he was under heavy pressure throughout the entire game. The official statistics record 46 American shots, and such a workload for a goaltender is often a sign that the defense spent a long time in its own zone.
According to the IIHF text after the game, the Hungarian national team had already secured its place in the elite division for 2027, which is an important competitive framework for assessing its performance. In this game, Hungary played against an opponent that entered under result pressure and with a clear need for victory, and such games often highlight differences in speed and discipline. The problem for Hungary was penalties, especially at moments when the USA already had the initiative and enough time in the attacking zone. Once the American power play began producing goals, the Hungarian defense found itself in a situation where it simultaneously had to close down shots from the blue line, passes toward the wing and players driving to the net. It was precisely that breadth of attacking options that was one of the reasons why the score opened up by the end of the second period.
A game with consequences for the Group A standings
The victory against Hungary kept the USA in the fight for the quarterfinals, but by itself it did not settle the American path toward the knockout stage. The Associated Press reported that the USA must confirm its qualification with a win in the final Group A game against Austria, and that matchup, according to the official IIHF schedule, is set for May 26, 2026, at Swiss Life Arena. The American national team came to Zurich as the defending world champion, which further increases the pressure in a group where earlier defeats complicated its position. AP also stated that the USA had reached the top eight at the World Championship every year since 2011, so a possible group-stage elimination would be a highly notable result. In that context, the 7:3 victory over Hungary was important not only because of the points, but also because of the way the attack found its rhythm again.
The broader competition schedule is also important for understanding the weight of the game. The 2026 World Championship is being played in Switzerland from May 15 to 31, with games held in Zurich and Fribourg. According to official IIHF information, Zurich and Fribourg are hosting the groups, while the final stage includes quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games in the final week of the tournament. Swiss Life Arena in Zurich is therefore one of the centers of the tournament, and for fans following the final stage, information about accommodation in Zurich near Swiss Life Arena is also useful. In sporting terms, the USA-Hungary game was part of the final resolution of Group A, in which every penalty, every special-teams goal and every goal difference can prove important.
Power play as the biggest difference in Zurich
The clearest tactical difference between the two national teams was play with a man advantage. According to the official game report, the USA had seven minutes and seven seconds of total power-play time and created three goals from it. Hungary had two minutes with a man advantage and did not score. In international hockey games, especially in tournaments with a short group stage, such a difference often decides the contest because it affects not only the score but also the rhythm of line changes, the fatigue of defensemen and the line rotation. In those moments, the American national team used puck movement across the blue line and quick passes toward players attacking the space around the goal well.
Faulk's goal for 4:0 and Leonard's for 5:1 particularly illustrated that advantage, because both came in the second period, at a stage when Hungary was trying to stop the growing pressure. Tkachuk's goal in the first period was also important because it came near the end of the period and left Hungary very little time to respond before the break. Such goals often have a dual effect: they bring a scoreboard advantage and change the emotional tone of the game. In its report, the IIHF emphasized that Hungary showed a response in the third period, but the American advantage from special situations was already large enough for control of the game to remain on the USA's side. When Novak's assists and Tkachuk's efficiency are added to that, it is clear why the American attack looked most dangerous precisely in moments of numerical superiority.
What the result means ahead of the final group day
Ahead of the final day of group competition, the USA earned with this victory a game that offered no room for a serious slip-up. After earlier problems in the group, the team had to show that it could combine high intensity, discipline and efficiency, and against Hungary it managed to do so at least in the offensive part of the game. Still, three goals conceded and Hungary's comeback from 5:1 to 5:3 showed that the American defense still has room for more stable control of the game. In the knockout stage, if the USA qualifies there, such drops can be much more costly than in a game in which the attack builds a large early lead. Head coach Granato and his coaching staff will therefore be able to use the victory as a positive example of a response, but also as a warning that concentration must be maintained to the end.
Hungary, on the other hand, can take from the game the final period, Erdely's efficiency and the fact that it did not retreat after a large deficit. The 7:3 score nevertheless realistically reflects the balance of power in Zurich, especially when shots, special situations and time spent under pressure are compared. For the USA, the most important thing is that the key forwards found form at a moment when the tournament is entering its final stage. For Hungary, the game served as a test against one of the strongest national teams in the group, with confirmation that a more even resistance against such opponents will require more discipline and a longer continuity of play. The Group A outcome continues on May 26, when it will be known whether the victory over Hungary will remain for the USA only an extension of hope or a step toward the quarterfinals.
Sources:
- International Ice Hockey Federation, IIHF – report from the USA-Hungary game and key details about the scorers and the course of the contest (link)
- IIHF official statistical game report USA - HUN, game summary – score by periods, scorers, shots, goaltenders, penalties and special situations (link)
- IIHF official schedule and results of the 2026 World Championship – Group A schedule, USA-Austria game time and tournament data (link)
- USA Hockey – official release from the American federation with head coach Don Granato's statement and data on USA players' performance (link)
- Associated Press via ABC News – report on the significance of the USA victory for the fight for the quarterfinals and the broader group context (link)