WC U18 – Quarter-finals
United States – Switzerland: 4-0 (0-0, 3-0, 1-0)
Espoo (FIN), 1249 spectators. Arb.: MM. Druseiks, Wedin, Jedlicka, Puff.
GOALS
27:11 Hagens (Ziemer) 1-0
35:22 Humphreys 2-0
38:03 Ziemer (Hagens) 3-0
50:27 Hagens 4-0
The best scorer of the tournament, James Hagens, scored two goals and added an assist, as the United States beat Switzerland 4-0 in the first quarterfinal of the U18 World Championship. The Americans, reigning champions, are now two wins away from the title.
The American Captain Brodie Ziemer scored a goal and delivered an assist, and the goalkeeper Nicholas Kempf recorded his second shutout of the tournament. Level of shots on target, again domination of the States: 35-17. With nine goals and ten assists, Hagens is only two points away from the record Nikita Kucherov for a tournament (21 points, 2011). Jack Hughes (2019) and Will Smith (2023) share the American record for a single competition (20 points).
By preventing the American attack from scoring for more than 27 minutes, the coach’s underdogs Patrick Schoeb achieved a real feat. But that wasn’t enough to qualify for the semi-finals. “It was a difficult match”declared the Swiss captain David Bosson. “I am proud of my team. We wanted to win, but it’s a difficult defeat for us.”. The Swiss did not flinch as feared at the start of the match in Espoo, even resisting a 5 against 3 which lasted 36 seconds against the best American power play.
The Americans began to find their legs and applied some pressure in the offensive zone late in the scoreless first period, but they were unable to break through. The Swiss worked hard, with good sticks and body positioning, to keep the Americans on the outside looking in early in the second period.
Hagens finally broke the deadlock at 7:11 as the teams played 4-on-4. Kevin Haas had a good chance to equalize nine minutes from the end of the first period, but Kempf read it perfectly as the Swiss striker headed in the backhand. At 3:22 p.m., Christian Humphreys doubled the United States’ lead. Ziemer and Hagens connect again to make it 3-0 with 1:57 left in the period.
The end of the hopes of the Helvetians who conceded far too many penalties during the 2nd third. In the third period, Hagens completed the scoring with an unassisted goal at 10:27. End of the Swiss adventure, but a satisfactory exit in the face of undoubtedly the most complete and balanced selection currently.
