The United States men's national team secured a 4‑3 victory over Germany in a shootout during the preliminary round of the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation tournament.
Moritz Seider gave Germany an early lead just one minute into the contest, opening the scoring with a quick wrist shot.
A turnover forced by Alex Steeves set up Isaac Howard's equalizer, shifting momentum in favor of the Americans.
Max Sasson extended the U.S. lead with a goal assisted by Howard and Ryan Ufko, putting the Americans up 2‑1.
Second‑Period Response
Frederik Tiffels tied the game at 2‑2 for Germany in the second period, and Marc Michaelis followed with a 3‑2 lead for the Germans.
Tommy Novak answered in the third period, scoring the tying goal for the United States and forcing the game into a shootout.
Shootout Sequence
Joshua Samansky opened the shootout for Germany, Matt Coronato matched the effort for the United States, and Ryan Leonard delivered the decisive fifth‑round winner.
Devin Cooley turned in 31 saves to preserve the win, while the U.S. outshot Germany 39‑34 overall and both teams were 0‑1 on the power play.
Ryan Leonard was named U.S. Player of the Game for his performance under pressure.
Team USA will next face Latvia on May 23 at 6:20 a.m. ET, a match that will be televised live on NHL Network and streamed on the NHL YouTube Channel.
The victory highlights a resilient performance by the Americans, who now look to carry momentum into their upcoming fixtures.