USA vs. Switzerland: A five-goal 2nd period propels USA to their second win at the 2022 World Juniors

It took a period to get adjusted, but Team USA defeated Switzerland 7-1 on Thursday night to improve to 2-0-0-0 at the 2022 World Juniors. 

After a scoreless first, the Americans potted five goals in the second period on the way to the victory. Their first line of Thomas Bordeleau, Landon Slaggert and Carter Mazur were fantastic, as Mazur registered two goals and an assist, Thomas Bordeleau had a goal and two assists and Landon Slaggert added a goal and an assist.

Mazur was awarded the Player of the Game and Kaiden Mbereko grabbed his second win at the tournament, stopping. 

MORE: Watch the 2022 World Juniors live with fuboTV (free trial, U.S. only)

Switzerland proved to be very competitive in the first period, but coming off a game Wednesday night, the Swiss lost their legs in the second and the USA quickly took over. Most of that was due to the play of their goaltender Kevin Pasche. Although he finished the night allowing five goals on 25 shots, he was stellar in the first period and kept Switzerland kept Switzerland in the game for as long as possible. 

Up next for the United States is a date with Austria on Saturday after a day off tomorrow. Switzerland will gladly take its day off after facing the two top teams in the group to start. They face Germany on Saturday. 

MORE: Schedule, scores, results for all 2022 World Juniors games

The Sporting News provided updates throughout the contest with live scores and highlights from the game. 

USA vs. Switzerland score

Luke Hughes tracker

Each game, we will highlight one player on Team USA to follow along with during the matchup. 

For the contest against Switzerland, we will focus on Luke Hughes. The defenseman from the University of Michigan is the youngest brother of NHL stars Quinn and Jack Hughes. He picked up a goal and assist in the opener over Germany, earning bragging rights in the family as the only one to score a goal at the World Juniors. 

Hughes is an offensive defenseman that can fly up the ice with the puck and quarterback a power play. He was the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft by the Devils. He’s going to be a top-pairing defenseman from USA throughout this tournament. 

1st period

Not much action in the first period from, well, anyone. Hughes had a couple of chances where he uses his skating to create space for himself at the offensive blue line and sent a couple of shots towards the net, but otherwise an uneventful period from the USA defenseman. 

2nd period

Hughes does an excellent job of keeping plays alive, and his keep-in at the blue line results in a goal for the USA. He stands tall and sends the puck back down the boards on the power play, resulting in a Carter Mazur goal seconds later. 

Later in the frame, again it’s his footwork and ability to walk the blue line that’s superb. He draws the eyes of the Swiss defenders to him, cutting towards the middle but he quickly turns and pivots the other way. His shot from the point gets through and is tipped by Matt Coronato by Kevin Pasche for the USA’s fifth goal of the game. 

3rd period

Hughes’ passing ability is on display again, as he looks like he’s shooting and instead slides it to Thomas Bordeleau at the dot who unloads on a clapper for the goal. Excellent vision from the point for Hughes. 

He’s so slick with the move. He gets it at the point, attacks the Swiss defender, feints a shot and cuts wide. As he goes to the net, he hits Red Savage for a one-timer that Noah Patenaude made a great save on. 

USA vs. Switzerland live updates, highlights from 2022 World Juniors

3rd period

12:27 a.m. — Logan Cooley heads off for tripping. 

12:22 a.m. — GOAL! Make it seven, as Riley Duran finishes off a perfectly executed rush by the US. They pulled off a perfect drop pass from Logan Cooley, as Duran gets his second of the tournament, ripping one by Patenaude. 

Riley Duran puts one past the Swiss goaltender to extend 🇺🇸 USA’s lead to 7-1.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/46j2yBX6FH

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 12, 2022

12:13 a.m. — What a move by Luke Hughes who feints out a Swiss defender, cuts into the net and find Red Savage for a on-timer. Excellent save by Patenaude though. 

12:04 a.m. — Swiss go back to the power play as Red Savage is called for tripping. 

12:01 a.m. — GOAL! Bordeleau just absolutely unloaded on a one-timer bar down. What a shot by the Sharks prospect. Power play converts again for the USA on Bordeleau’s first of the tournament, 6-1 USA. 

Thomas Bordeleau lasers one home to give 🇺🇸 USA a 6-1 lead in the 3rd.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/otS7E8pKb8

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 12, 2022

12 a.m. — Logan Cooley uses his speed to grab a loose puck in the neutral zone and drive to the night. HIs attempt to sneak the puck around Patenaude is denied, but he draws a slashing call to Brian Zanetti. USA converted on the man-advantaged earlier. 

11:58 p.m. — Change in net for Switzerland as Pache is out, Noah Patenaude is in. Patenaude played in the game against Sweden, allowing three goals on 29 shots. 

End 2nd period: USA 5, Switzerland 1

11:39 p.m. — What a period for the Americans. A five-goal barrage by USA and they head into the third up by four. It’s clear that Switzerland’s game last night is catching up to them, as they just don’t have the legs to keep up with the USA right now. Pasche has done what he can to keep them in it, but you can’t blame any of the goals on him. 

11:38 p.m. — GOAL! And another one. This one has quickly gotten away from the Swiss. Hughes does an exceptional job drawing defenders to him at the blue line, he spins and fires a shot on goal that is tipped by Matt Coronato. It’s 5-1 with less than a minute left in the 2nd. 

11:35 p.m. — GOAL! That one hits the twine, as the first line for the United States once again capitalize. Wyatt Kaiser is left unattended to at the top of the blue line, he gets the puck and fires a shot on goal that’s tipped by Slaggert and into the ent. Thomas Bordeleau, Mazur and Slaggert have been far and beyond the best line tonight for Nate Leaman’s crew. 

11:33 p.m. — USA nearly makes it 4-1 as Jacob Truscott walks in from the point and rings a shot off the iron. The Swiss are looking more and more gassed, as the U.S. has a lot more time and space in the offensive zone. 

11:27 p.m. — GOAL! It’s Mazur again. He’s left alone on the left side of the night and Slaggert spins and finds him alone for the easy whack into the net. You can see Switzerland is beginning to slow down and that’s a bad breakdown in front that results in a goal. 

11:23 p.m. — GOAL! It’s the captain as Brock Faber rips a shot from the point by the glove of Pasche. Off an offensive zone faceoff, the puck gets back to the point, Faber calls for it, it goes D to D and with Slaggert screening in front, Pasche can’t get to it. USA regains the lead. 

Brock Faber lasers a shot through a deflection to give 🇺🇸 Team USA a 2-1 lead in the 2nd period. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/5pcWTEfKVm

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 12, 2022

11:22 p.m. — Two things that stand out about this Switzerland team — they aren’t afraid to hit, and hit cleanly, and they keep the USA to the outside. They’ll let the Americans stay to the outside, but won’t let them come to the middle. 

11:17 p.m. — GOAL! Switzerland ties it as Joel Henry beats Kaiden Mbereko five-hole on the breakaway. A turnover by the United States in the Swiss zone results in Henry flying in alone and his changeup gets through Mbereko’s legs. Tie game with 11:30 left in the 2nd. 

Joel Henry puts 🇨🇭 Switzerland on the board and this game is tied.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/mRLJZa7IDL

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 12, 2022

11:10 p.m. — GOAL! The power play finally comes through for the Americans as Carter Mazur gets the first goal of the game. An excellent no-look pass from Samoskevich behind the net to Mazur cutting to the middle, who fires it past Pasche. 1-0 USA with 14:06 left in the period. 

Carter Mazur opens the scoring for 🇺🇸 Team USA on the power-play!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/VNajWpa98s

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 12, 2022

11:08 p.m. — Nicolas Baechler heads to the box as he holds Landon Slaggert. USA to their third power play of the game, the one earlier in the period had a couple of good looks. 

11:04 p.m. — RIley Duran loads up and unloads a wicked wrister that hits Pasche’s glove and hits the crossbar. No goals yet on either side. 

11:02 p.m. — USA’s passing has been sharp on the power play and it leads to a one-time attempt by Mackie Samoskevich by Kevin Pasche has been fantastic for the Swiss. 

11 p.m. — Just seconds into the second, Brian Zanetti sends the puck over the glass and is called for delay of game. After a failed attempt on the man advantage, USA gets its second crack at it early in the middle frame. 

End 1st period: USA 0, Switzerland 0

10:41 p.m. — At the end of the first, it’s scoreless in Edmonton. A very competitive period on both sides. The Swiss are keeping the Americans to the outside and not allowing them to get comfortable in the offensive zone. Meanwhile, they are creating chances for themselves on the other end. USA outshot Switzerland 8-7 in the period. 

10:39 p.m. — USA now gets to go to work on their first power play, as Joel Henry is called for cross-checking. Sean Behrens heads down the tunnel as he appeared to be shaken up from a collision into the boards. 

10:31 p.m. — Best chance of the power play goes to USA, as Red Savage goes down on a shorthanded breakaway. He faked the shot and pulled it to the backhand, but looks like he missed it wide. Another failed power play for the Swiss. 

10:29 p.m. — Switzerland heads to its first power play as Logan Cooley is called for high-sticking. The Swiss failed to score on the power play against Sweden, despite having multiple chances, and that ended up playing a major factor in their one-goal loss. 

10:19 p.m. — It’s clear early on that Switzerland are a lot better team than Germany, especially in their own zone. A very competitive eight minutes to start, with both teams getting chances. Switzerland isn’t allowing USA to settle in the offensive zone and move the puck around. They are quick and smart in their attempts to disrupt plays and have been successful early on. 

Pregame

9 p.m. — USA goes with mostly the same lineup as they did against Germany. The lone change is on the blue line, as Sean Behrens will dress and Jack Peart takes a seat for the Thursday night contest. 

Here is how USA will line up against Switzerland tonight. Sean Behrens (COL) draws in for Jack Peart (MIN) on the blue line. pic.twitter.com/dqrs6qFNtt

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) August 12, 2022

What channel is USA vs. Switzerland on today?

• Canada: TSN 4
• United States: NHL Network

TSN has all the World Juniors action in Canada, while in the United States, viewers can find the games on NHL Network.

E.J. Hradek will provided play-by-play coverage for NHL Network. He will be joined by analyst Dave Starman and reporter Jon Rosen on the broadcasts. 

How to live stream World Juniors hockey games

Fans in Canada can stream all World Juniors games on TSN.ca or the TSN app. U.S. fans can stream the tournament on fuboTV (which comes with a free trial), NHL.tv or the NHL app.

USA vs. Switzerland start time

• Start time: 10 p.m. ET (8 p.m. MT)

The puck will drop at 10 p.m. ET from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., home of the NHL’s Oilers and WHL’s Oil Kings.

MORE: Team USA 2022 World Juniors roster, results

It’s the second game for both teams in the tournament. The USA won its first game while Switzerland dropped its first contest. 

USA vs. Switzerland odds

• USA: -3.5 (-104)
• Switzerland: +3.5 (-132)

The puckline is 3.5 for the matchup between the USA and Switzerland, according to Sports Interaction. The USA failed to cover the 4.5 puckline against Germany as it won by four goals. 

USA World Juniors schedule 2022

(All times Eastern)