IIHF Worlds Blog

May 12 | Switzerland Upends USA, Sweden, Larsson Beat Finland

Team USA is no longer undefeated at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship. The Americans fell to a solid Switzerland team reinforced by the arrival of Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Fiala following LAK’s first-round defeat at the hands of Edmonton. Fiala earned the primary assist on the second of two first-period scores against USA goalie Joey Daccord, who finished with 24 saves.

Switzerland elevated to the top of Group B standings with four teams qualifying for the quarterfinals. The Swiss notched a silver medal at last spring’s worlds, so there were labeling Monday’s game an upset.

“We just didn’t get to our game,” said USA center Matty Beniers post-game in the IIHF reporting pool. “I think one of our strengths is trying to dictate the game and trying to play fast. And I thought they controlled it better and played the game they wanted to play. They got it behind our ‘D’ more than we did and made us play defense.”

Swedes, Larrson Defeat Rival Finland

After an incredible final three minutes of play Sunday, Team Finland couldn’t produce much against a strong Sweden squad, with Adam Larsson again getting top-four minutes in a 2-1 victory. The Finns benefited from a one-man rescue unit when Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen got his nation within a goal of France by scoring with a minute-and-a-half left in regulation. Pretty much before the goal could even be announced, Tolvanen then tied the game with under a half minute left in the third period. When overtime commenced, Tolvanen earned the primary assist on the winning goal.

But Finland fell short Monday with Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom (New Jersey Devils) outdueling FIN goalie Juuse Saros (Nashville). But there is no faulting Saros, who made 39 saves in the loss while Markstrom finished with 17 saves. In other action, home nation Denmark lost to Czechia 7-2, with Kraken prospect Oscar Fisker Molgaard held off the scoresheet. The 2023 second-round draft choice scored on a breakaway before his family and friends in Herning, during a 5-2 Saturday defeat against that hot Switzerland team.

May 11 | Tolvanen’s Magic Three Minutes Just in Time for Finland

With less than a minute-and-a-half remaining in regulation, Finland was trailing a surprising French squad, 3-1, behind goals from Tim and Kevin Bozon, sons of Phillipe Bozon, the first French-trained players to debut in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues. Plus, former Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare notched assists on two of France’s three goals in regulation. It was looking mighty like a French upset.

But then it was Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen who came to the rescue of his Finnish teammates– and then some. He scored with 1:27 left in the third period to make it 3-2, then scored the equalizer with 28 seconds remaining in Stockholm. Just 1:25 into the overtime period, Tolvanen was at it again, this time earning the primary assist on a dramatic game-winning goal by New York Rangers forward Juuso Parssinen. The Tolvanen-fueled comeback sets up a Nordic showdown between the Finns (2-0 in Group A) and home nation Sweden (2-0 in Group A) and SEA D-man Adam Larsson Monday at Stockholm (11:20 a.m. puck drop).

USA 2-0 with Two Shutouts, Canada Goes 2-0 Too

North America keeps rolling in Denmark and Sweden. Team USA shut out its opponent for the second straight game, this time 6-0 over Hungary in Group B play at Herning, Denmark, with Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman making 13 saves. Kraken goalie and fan fave Joey Daccord posted a shutout Friday against Denmark, handling a much tougher set of shots, 26 total, from host country Denmark (and Seattle prospect Oscar Fisker Molgaard).

Matty Beniers notched a primary assist Sunday and is centering a highly productive line between San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith and Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier, who has scored four goals in two games. Beniers has two goals and an assist while clearly earning the trust of the USA coaching staff. On Sunday, the 22-year-old led all American skaters in time on ice, including defensemen. Seattle forward Mikey Eyssimont played another strong game as a fourth-liner. USA faces Switzerland Monday (8:20 a.m., NHL Network), a squad not to be underestimated.

In Stockholm Group A play, Team Canada doused Latvia, 6-1, after Latvia scored on its first shot against 40-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury, who last posted an international win for his country in the 2004 World Juniors Championship.

“Time flies,” Fleury told the IIHF reporters pool. “It's crazy. But I'm lucky to be able to put the jersey on and represent my country. Every time you play, you want to win; you want to do well. You want to help the team. I haven't played a game in a while. It wasn't the start I wanted either, but after that things got better.”

Canada scored six unanswered goals, fueled by three Sidney Crosby assists, one for which Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour earned the primary assist. Montour was top-four in ice time, and Seattle D-man Ryker Evans played nine third-pair minutes. Canada’s next game is against France on Tuesday. That’s another game not to be taken lightly.

May 10 | Montour, CAN Win, Must-Read: Tolvanen vs. Tolvanen

Is anyone surprised? Kraken defenseman extraordinaire Brandon Montour played the most minutes for Team Canada in Saturday’s 4-0 opening against Slovenia. Only epic captain Sidney Crosby (we're still kinda sore about that 2010 golden goal at the Vancouver Olympics) and Philadelphia forward Travis Konecny were on the ice more, and Montour earned an assist while Sid the Kid (hey, he still plays like it) was not on the scoresheet.

The Canadians handled their foes with an early score by forward Bo Horvat, who tallied a second goal during his nation’s three-goal output in the second period to fuel the victory. Superstar Nathan MacKinnon, rostering with his idol Crosby (both from Halifax, NS, region), assisted on both Horvat goals with Montour setting up the second-period score. Kraken D-man Ryker Evans logged nine minutes of ice, the norm for third-pair D and the lower-six forwards. He looked prepared and, as Seattle GM Jason Botterill told Kraken colleague Geoff Baker, Evans will thrive at the Worlds because he is such an elite skater. Canada plays Latvia next on Sunday with a 4:20 a.m. puck drop (NHL Network for the insomniac in you).

In other games Saturday, Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer backstopped Germany to a 6-1 win over Hungary (USA’s opponent Sunday). Grubauer made 18 saves and faces a competitive Kazakhstan (beat Norway, 2-1, Saturday) in Germany’s next game Sunday (4:20 a.m.). Sweden is 2-0 after defeating Austria, 4-2, Saturday, with Adam Larsson logging the top-four D-men minutes and original Kraken forward Alex Wennberg scoring a late goal. The Swedes have a big circle around the next game: They play Finland Monday (NHL Network, 8:20 a.m.). It will be Larsson versus Eeli Tolvanen at times.

Tolvanen Twice!
Speaking of Eeli Tolvanen ... in a rare event, the Kraken forward faced his brother playing in goal for Austria. Before explaining how that happens, let it be known that brother Atte stopped all three of his siblings’ shots on goal, including a third-period breakaway in Finland’s 2-1 victory Friday.

“That's something nice, to make that save,” said Atte post-game. “Hopefully, there is a picture of it somewhere.”

With a gracious stick tap to International Ice Hockey Federation correspondent Andrew Podnieks, here’s the story in his words and reporting [click here for the full article].

Both Tolvanen brothers were born in Vihti, Finland, and grew up together. Atte was born in 1994, and Eeli five years later. Atte played in the Finnish junior system and then left for North America, first to play in the NAHL and then with Northern Michigan in the NCAA. He was never drafted, played one year in the AHL, and returned home to play in Liiga in 2019. Soon after, however, Atte decided to continue his career in Austria, where he has been since 2021. As a result, he was eligible to play for that country in IIHF events.

“I didn't think that much about it, to be honest,” said Eeli. That's the first time I've played against him. It's a cool story, but when you're in your zone, in the game, you don't think about it ... He made a really good save today.”

The traditional handshake line allowed a few private moments between the brothers and who talk quite a bit over summer about how to beat goaltenders and/or stop shooters.

“We will see each other,” Eeli said. “We went for lunch [Thursday], and we'll see each other again. We both have tight schedules, but we'll figure something out.”

May 9 | Beniers Bags Two Goals, Daccord Gets Shutout in 5-0 USA Win

Kraken Matty Beniers scored twice in Herning against host Denmark, playing on a line with two Pacific Division foes, Anaheim forward Cutter Gauthier and San Jose winger Will Smith. Gauthier tallied twice himself. Beniers was a textbook hockey play: He won the faceoff cleanly, sending it back to one of his defenseman, who quickly passed to his defensive partner for a shot on goal. Meanwhile, Beniers was muscling his way to net-front, outdueling Danish forward and Kraken expansion draft pick (San Jose) Alexander True, to be in position to redirect the point shot. Beniers’ first goal made it 3-0, and he finished the USA scoring late in the match.

Joey Daccord got the nod in the American goal, making 26 saves and looking in midseason form. To their credit, USA skaters were blocking shots and keeping the Danes to the outside. But Kraken prospect Oscar Molgaard, fresh off seven impressive appearances for AHL Coachella Valley, played a strong game in front of his home-nation fans. Molgaard sparked his teammates with several offensive rushes in the middle period, including one shot in the slot and another slot chance that Molgaard might shoot next time (which he did) rather than make the extra pass. The Kraken prospect finished with three shots on goal.

A third USA player and Kraken representative, Mikey Eyssimont, played fourth-line minutes and stood out as both playmaker and play-stopper. The veteran forward is appearing in his third straight IIHF Worlds and looked the part as an aggressive forechecker with offensive hops. All three players looked like they were enjoying themselves, and why not with a 5-0 in the works. The Americans play next Sunday, facing Hungary at Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning at a 4:20 a.m. Pacific time (yikes). Don’t wake up Mom on that one.

Larsson, Tolvanen Both Part of First ‘W’s’

Stockholm’s Group A play kicked off with Finland edging Austria, 2-1, in a tightly-contested game. Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen was on his country’s first line playing alongside Teuvo Teravainen, a Chicago Blackhawks center and former Carolina GM Ron Francis’ trade acquisition. The Seattle winger, who set a NHL career high in goals this season, didn’t make the scoresheet but notched three shots on goal. The Finns face France Sunday in an 11:20 a.m. game.

In Friday’s second game at Stockholm’s Aivci Arena, Seattle stalwart defenseman Adam Larsson played heavy minutes to help build a 4-0 shutout for New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom and Sweden over Slovakia. But Larsson, who his Kraken teammates will appreciate, didn’t miss out on offensive production. He earned the primary assist on Sweden’s third goal. The Swedes go for a second victory in as many starts against Austria Saturday (8:20 a.m. puck drop).

Brandon Montour and Ryker Evans will get a chance to join the action Saturday when Canada meets Slovenia in an early game (yes, 4:20 a.m.) while SEA goalie Philipp Grubauer and Germany start their play against Hungary in the first game for both countries.