Ice hockey-U.S. snatch late overtime win over Norway at worlds

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HERNING, Denmark (Reuters) – An overtime goal from hat-trick hero Tage Thompson with less than a minute left on the clock earned the United States a 6-5 win over Norway at the men’s World Championship on Wednesday, after

The U.S. stormed into a 5-1 lead before the Norwegians mounted their comeback, but a power play goal snatched an important preliminary round win for the Americans.

Goals from Cutter Gauthier and Clayton Keller had the U.S in control early on before Stian Solberg netted on a power play to pull one back for Norway but Thompson and Michael McCarron scored before the end of the opening period.

Thompson grabbed his second goal early in the second period, but Solberg’s second and a Martin Ronnild goal brought Norway right back into it going into the third period

Steen Noah scored to pull Norway to within one goal of the Americans, and after they pulled their goaltender out for the final minutes, Solberg’s hat-trick goal levelled the game late on.

With time running out in the five-minute overtime period and a penalty-shot shootout looming, Emil Lilleberg’s two-minute penalty for holding left Norway hanging on, and Thompson got on the end of Logan Cooley’s pass to find the winner.

The U.S. have not won a medal at the worlds since a bronze in 2021 and lost 3-0 to Switzerland last time out after two opening wins are now third in Group B on eight points, with four teams qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The Americans are level with reigning champions Czechia on eight points and one point behind group leaders Germany, who have both played a game less, while Norway picked up their first point and are seventh in the standings.

(Reporting by Trevor Stynes)