Nazar rallies US past Czechs to play Finland at quarters at ice hockey worlds, Canada tops Sweden

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Frank Nazar scored twice to help the United States rally for a 5-2 victory over the Czech Republic and hand the titleholder its first defeat at the ice hockey world championship on Tuesday.

The victory lifted the Americans to second place in Group B in Herning, Denmark. Switzerland won the group, with the Czechs finishing third and Denmark fourth.

Tuesday’s results determined the pairings for the quarterfinals on Thursday: Canada vs. Denmark, the United States vs. Finland, Sweden vs. Czech Republic and Switzerland vs. Austria.

“I loved our effort and how we played to our identity,” U.S. head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Give our power play credit too. Overall, great team effort and a good step forward as we continue to build.”

Nazar deflected a shot into the net to tie the game at 2-2 1:35 into the final period on a power play. He scored again on another power play for the 21-year-old Chicago Blackhawks forward's sixth goal at the tournament.

Logan Cooley roofed a shot from close range to make it 4-2 with 6:31 to go and Andrew Peeke finished it off with a goal into an empty net.

Josh Doan gave the Americans a 1-0 lead 9:25 into the game on a rebound with a backhand between the pads of goalie Karel Vejmelka.

The U.S. dominated the first period, outshooting its opponent 23-8. The Czechs came back in the second, as David Pastrnak tied the game on a breakway 41 seconds into the period by beating his Boston Bruins teammate Swayman for his sixth goal at the tournament.

Pastrnak then set up Martin Necas in the left circle to one-time a shot that put the Czechs 2-1 up 8:33 into the middle period.

In Stockholm, Canada completed the preliminary stage with a 5-3 victory over Sweden to rebound from Monday’s 2-1 loss to Finland. Canada topped Group A with 19 points, with Sweden one point behind and Finland another two points back.

Defenseman Travis Sanheim was in front of the goal to put Canada ahead 18 seconds into the game, the second fastest goal at the tournament. Elias Lindholm scored the equalizer 3:29 later with a shorthanded goal on a breakaway with his seventh goal.

Tyson Foerster beat goalie Jacob Markstrom to restore Canadas lead and Ryan O'Reilly made it 3-1 against a team that had only conceded three goals in total in its six previous games at the worlds.

The Swedish team used a 5-on-3 power play to reduce the deficit through Marcus Johansson 3:02 into the middle period, but Macklin Celebrini collected a through pass from captain Sidney Crosby to restore a two-goal advantage on a breakaway midway through the frame.

Travis Konecny was on his knees when he set up MacKinnon for the fifth 4:11 into the final period — one of his three assists in the game.

The Swedes pulled Markstrom with 4:12 to go and Rasmus Andersson pulled one goal back.

Earlier, Austria reached the playoffs for the first time in 31 years after it defeated Latvia 6-1 and became the fourth and final team to advance to the quarterfinals from Group A.

Finland defeated Slovakia 2-1.

Switzerland beat Kazakhstan 4-1.

Kazakhstan was relegated after five years in the top division.

Denmark prevailed 2-1 over Germany after a penalty shootout to become the fourth and final team from Group B to advance.

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Canada's Macklin Celebrini, center, celebrates scoring with teammates during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Sweden and Canada in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Canada's Macklin Celebrini (96) scores past Sweden's goalkeeper Jacob Markström during a Group A match between Sweden and Canada at the hockey world championships, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

United States' Frank Nazar celebrates after scoring against the Czech Republic during a Group B match at the hockey world championships, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Herning, Denmark. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

United States' Frank Nazar (910) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Czech Republic during a Group B match at the hockey world championships, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Herning, Denmark. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Frank Nazar of the USA, left, scores past Czech Republic goalkeeper Karel Vejmelka and Libor Hajek, center, during a Group B match between Czech Republic and the US at the hockey world championships in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Finland's Jesper Mattila, center, in action in front of Slovakia goalkeeper Samuel Hlavaj, left, and Mislav Rosandic, right, during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovakia and Finland in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Tage Thompson of the US, front, and Czech Republic goalkeeper Karel Vejmelka in action during a Group B match between Czech Republic' and the US at the hockey world championships in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Switzerland's Sven Andrighetto, left, celebrates his side's second goal during the IIHF 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship group B match between Switzerland and Kazakhstan in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Austria's Thomas Raffl, left, celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Latvia and Austria in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Pontus Lundahl/TT News Agency via AP)

Switzerland's Kevin Fiala, right, scores his side's first goal during the IIHF 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship group B match between Switzerland and Kazakhstan in Herning, Denmark, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)