Peterka named top forward at Worlds while Krebs, Quinn, and Levi win gold

JJ Peterka was named the top forward at the IIHF World Championship on Sunday while Buffalo Sabres teammates Jack Quinn, Peyton Krebs, and Devon Levi earned gold medals with Canada's 5-2 victory over Germany in Tampere, Finland.

Peterka tied for second in the tournament with 12 points (6+6), including the opening goal less than eight minutes into the gold medal game against Canada on Sunday. Germany won its first silver medal at the World Championship since 1953.

Germany was 0-3 to start the tournament but earned six straight wins to advance to the gold medal game, including a come-from-behind semifinal victory over the United States in which Peterka tallied an assist.

"I think we can be so proud of what we did here as Germans, after coming in here, losing the first three games," Peterka told IIHF.com. "And then with our backs to the wall, having a do-or-die game every game and coming together like that. Coming back late in the third against the U.S. just showed how much how much we wanted it. And today we wanted to [do it again], but sometimes it doesn't happen."

Krebs tallied two assists in the gold medal game, the latter of which set up Lawson Crouse for the game-tying goal during the second period. Germany never led again as Canada scored three times in the third, including a Scott Laughton goal assisted by Quinn.

Krebs finished with five points (1+4) in 10 games. Quinn had seven points (2+5), including the game-tying goal in Canada's semifinal win over Latvia. Levi played one game for Canada, a 5-2 win over Slovenia in which he made 22 saves.

Alex Tuch tallied eight points (5+3) and was named a top three player for the United States, which lost to Latvia in the bronze medal game on Sunday.

Find a running list of the tournament results and highlights involving Sabres players below.

Schedule and results

Friday, May 12

USA 4 - Finland 1

Tuch scored a pair of goals, tallied eight shots, and skated a team-high 21:28 as the United States overcame an early deficit to win their tournament opener. He buried a feed from linemate Rocco Grimaldi to extend the lead to 3-1 with 7:03 remaining in the third period, then added an empty-net goal to ice the victory.

Czechia 3 - Slovakia 2

Sweden 1 - Germany 0

Peterka skated a team-high 21:38 for Germany in the loss.

Canada 6 - Latvia 0

Quinn and Krebs each tallied an assist in the win for Canada. Krebs carried the puck through the neutral zone during the opening minute to initiate the sequence that produced Canada's first goal of the game, scored by Lawson Crouse:

Quinn set up MacKenzie Weegar's power-play goal to increase the lead to 3-0 in the second period:

Levi backed up goaltender Sam Montembeault, who posted a 23-save shutout.

Saturday, May 13

France 2 - Austria 1 (OT)

Switzerland 7 - Slovenia 0

Denmark 3 - Hungary 1

Kazakhstan 4 - Norway 3

Finland 4 - Germany 3

Peterka scored his first goal of the tournament to tie the game 3-3 late in the second period, but Finland reclaimed the lead in the third. The Sabres forward led Germany in ice time for the second straight game at 23:23.

Slovakia 2 - Latvia 1

Sunday, May 14

USA 7 - Hungary 1

Hungary opened the scoring, but Team USA roared back with seven unanswered goals to pick up their second win of the tournament. Tuch scored and recorded four shots on goal in 16:02 of action.

Slovenia 2 - Canada 5

Levi made 22 saves in his first start for Team Canada. Quinn recorded five shots and Krebs put two on net. MacKenzie Weegar led the team with three points (1+2) as five different players scored.

France 4 - Denmark 3 (OT)

Switzerland 3 - Norway 0

Sweden 5 - Austria 0

Czechia 5 - Kazakhstan 1

Monday, May 15

USA 3 - Germany 2

Germany scored a pair of goals in the second period to establish a two-goal lead, but Team USA battled back with third period tallies from Sean Farrell and Matt Coronato to claim a 3-2 victory.

JJ Peterka skated 22:41 for Germany while Alex Tuch logged 20:23 of ice time and recorded three shots.

Canada 2 - Slovakia 1 (SO)

Jack Quinn scored the shootout winner for Canada to propel the team to a 2-1 victory. Quinn, after missing on his first attempt, scored on Slovakia goaltender Samuel Hlavaj in the eighth round. He logged 19:21 of ice time and had three shots in regulation and overtime.

Peyton Krebs skated 16:00 in the win and had three shots.

Sweden 2 - Finland 1 (SO)

Latvia 4 - Czechia 3 (OT)

Tuesday, May 16

Denmark 6 - Austria 2

Norway 1 - Slovenia 0

Hungary 3 - France 2 (OT)

Switzerland 5 - Kazakhstan 0

Wednesday, May 17

USA 4 - Austria 1

Tuch tallied two shots and skated 18:17 as the United States remained undefeated through four games in group play.

Latvia 2 - Norway 1

Finland 5 - France 3

Canada 5 - Kazakhstan 1

Quinn controlled the puck along the boards and sent a pass to the net front during the first period, initiating the sequence that produced Lawson Crouse's first of two goals in the game. The assist was Quinn's second of the tournament.

Quinn also had two shots in 12:16. Krebs had one shot in 13:14.

Levi backed up goaltender Joel Hofer, who made 16 saves on 17 shots.

Thursday, May 18

Sweden 7 - Hungary 1

Czechia 6 - Slovenia 2

Germany 3 - Denmark 2

Peterka scored his second goal of the tournament early in the second period as Germany scored a trio of goals to take a 3-2 lead after two periods.

Denmark tied the game with just under five minute remaining, but Germany reclaimed a 4-3 lead with a goal 20 seconds later. The Germans tacked on an empty netter before Denmark tallied with 31 seconds left to make the score 5-4. Germany added another goal with the goalie pulled to secure a 6-4 victory.

Switzerland 4 - Slovakia 2

Friday, May 19

Finland 7 - Hungary 1

Latvia 3 - Slovenia 2

Germany 4 - Austria 2

Peterka skated 11:50 as Germany won its second straight game. San Jose forward Nico Sturm had a pair of goals.

Kazakhstan 4 - Slovakia 3 (SO)

Saturday, May 20

USA 3 - Denmark 0

Tuch scored a goal and added a pair of assists as Team USA erupted for three third period goals to blank Denmark 3-0. Tuch's goal, his fourth of the tournament, helped the Americans remain unbeaten through five games in group play.

Czechia 2 - Norway 0

Finland 3 - Austria 1

Switzerland 3 - Canada 2

Quinn notched an assist and skated 14:37 in Canada's 3-2 loss, as Canada drops to third in Group B with 11 points. Krebs skated 9:58 and was a perfect 4-for-4 in the faceoff circle. Levi backed up Samuel Montembeault.

Sweden vs. France - 1:20 p.m. (NHL Network)
Kazakhstan vs. Latvia 1:20 p.m. (ESPN+)

Sunday, May 21

Germany 7 - Hungary 2

Peterka tallied a goal and three assists, upping his tournament point total to seven (3+4) in six games. He squeezed a shot into the near-side corner from a tough angle for Germany's fifth goal of the game, then set up Dominik Kahun on their sixth goal.

Slovakia 1 - Slovenia 0

USA 9 - France 0

Tuch skated 16:14 and tallied two shots at the United States stayed undefeated with one game remaining in group play. Philadelphia Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier had a game-high three goals and four points.

Switzerland 4 - Czechia 2

Monday, May 22

Sweden 4 - Denmark 1

Norway 3 - Canada 2 (SO)

Krebs skated 16:50 and tallied two shots for the Canadians, who erased a one-goal deficit on Lawson Crouse's goal with 12 seconds remaining in regulation but fell in the shootout. Quinn had one shot in 16:24.

Levi backed up Joel Hofer, who made 21 saves.

Austria 4 - Hungary 3 (SO)

Kazakhstan 4 - Slovenia 3

Tuesday, May 23

Germany 5 - France 0

Peterka split two defenders on the rush during the second period for his fourth goal of the tournament. His nine points lead Germany and are tied for fourth among all tournament players.

"For his age, Peterka] is really, really good," his teammate Maximilian Kastner **[told IIHF.com**. "And I think he has a bright future if he keeps the way playing he is right now. He can be one of the best Germans. I'm proud to have him on the team."

Germany secured its place in the quarterfinal round with the win.

Slovakia 4 - Norway 1

USA 4 - Sweden 3

Sweden erased a two-goal deficit during the third period, but Dylan Samberg scored 1:37 into overtime to complete the United States' undefeated run through group play and secure a top seed entering the quarterfinals. Tuch tallied three shots in 19:06.

Canada 3 - Czechia 1

Krebs opened the scoring with a power-play goal and tallied three shots in 14:16, earning player of the game honors for Canada. He has a goal and an assist through seven games.

Quinn earned the primary assist on Tyler Myers' game-winning goal during the third period, his fourth point of the tournament.

Levi backed up Samuel Montembeault.

Finland 7 - Denmark 1

Latvia 4 - Switzerland 3 (OT)

Thursday, May 25 (Quarterfinals)

USA 3 - Czechia 0

Tuch skated 15:51 and had three shots as the Americans remained unbeaten in the tournament. With eight straight wins, they are now two victories from earning their first Ice Hockey World Championship gold medal since 1933.

Germany 3 - Switzerland 1

Peterka scored a goal as Germany beat Switzerland for the second time in three years in a quarter-final game.

Canada 4 - Finland 1

Quinn opened the scoring for Canada with a goal in the first period, his second of the tournament. He skated 15:22 and had four shots to help the Canadians advance to the final four.

Latvia 3 - Sweden 1

Saturday, May 27

Canada 4 - Latvia 2

Quinn banked a shot from the side of the net in off the mask of Latvian goaltender Arturs Silovs to erase a 2-1 deficit 45 seconds into the third period. He was named player of the game for Canada.

Krebs tallied an assist for the Canadians, who advanced to the gold medal game for the fourth straight year.

Germany 4 - United States 3 (OT)

Tuch opened the scoring just 1:11 into the game and then assisted on Rocco Grimaldi's goal to make it 2-0 less than three minutes later, but Germany erased multiple deficits to advance to its first-ever gold medal game.

Peterka tallied an assist for Germany, which tied the game on Marcel Noebels' goal with 1:23 remaining in regulation and won when Frederik Tiffels scored in overtime. Peterka leads Germany and is tied for third among all tournament players with 11 points (5+6).