US beats Sweden 6-2 to set the final against Switzerland at ice hockey worlds

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The United States beat Sweden 6-2 to advance to the final of the ice hockey world championship on Saturday.

In Sunday's final, the U.S. will play Switzerland. The Swiss blanked Denmark 7-0 to reach the gold medal game for the second straight year.

Switzerland shut out the U.S. 3-0 in the group stage, the Americans' only defeat.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots against Sweden and the U.S. remained on course to win the worlds for the first time since 1933.

The Americans were also formally awarded the title in 1960 and 1980 when they won the Olympic tournaments and the worlds did not take place.

By reaching the final, the U.S. achieved its best result since the 1950 silver medal.

“It’s a good feeling,” captain Clayton Keller said. “There’s one more game to win. We’re going to focus on tomorrow.”

The U.S. jumped to 2-0 in the opening period, outshooting the Swedes 13-3.

Brady Skjei scored 6:52 in with a shot from the blue line that went through heavy traffic in front of goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Cutter Gauthier doubled the advantage with 2:47 remaining, picking up the puck after a shot by Shane Pinto was blocked and directed it into the net between Makstrom's pads.

Gauthier was born in Skelleftea, Sweden, in 2004 when his father, a goaltender, played for a local team.

Conor Garland added the third with 8:53 to go in the second, knocking in a rebound. Mikey Eyssimont made it 4-0 on a 4-on-2 rush from the right circle.

Samuel Ersson replaced Markstrom in the Swedish net at the start of the final period.

William Nylander scored the first for Sweden 6:32 into the the third period, and Elias Lindholm scored another 41 seconds later to give Sweden some hope at 4-2.

But defenseman Jackson LaCombe beat Ersson for the fifth with 8:51 to go. Shane Pinto finished it off into an empty net to complete a three-point game after assisting on the opening two goals.

“Every single guy contributed and I couldn’t be more proud of our group,” U.S. coach Ryan Warsofsky said.

Sweden has to settle for the bronze medal game for the second straight worlds.

Switzerland has never won the worlds.

Nino Niederreiter scored twice and Ken Jager added one in the first period for Switzerland to take command against Sweden. Denis Malgin added the fourth in the middle period and Sandro Schmid, Damien Riat and Tyler Moy completed the rout in the third.

Switzerland goalie Leonardo Genoni made 17 saves for a second straight shutout.

Denmark, which eliminated Canada 2-1 in the quarterfinals, will face Sweden for bronze. Denmark has never medaled at the worlds.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Switzerland's Kevin Fiala, left, and Nino Niederreiter celebrate after a goal during the semifinal match between Denmark and Switzerland at the ice hockey world championships in Stockholm,Sweden, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Sweden's William Karlsson shoots by United States' Drew O'Connor during the semifinal match between Sweden and the United States at the ice hockey world championships in Stockholm,Sweden, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

United States' Brady Skjei celebrtaes after scoring during the semifinal match between Sweden and the United States at the ice hockey world championships in Stockholm,Sweden, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Sweden's Mikael Backlund checks United States' Logan Cooley during the semifinal match between Sweden and the United States at the ice hockey world championships in Stockholm,Sweden, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

United States' goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman and Michael Kesselring celebrate after the semifinal match between Sweden and the United States at the ice hockey world championships in Stockholm,Sweden, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

United States players celebrate after a goal during the semifinal match between Sweden and the United States at the ice hockey world championships in Stockholm,Sweden, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)