By USA Hockey, 08/16/25, 2:30PM EDT
TRENČÍN, Slovakia – The U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team defeated Sweden, 5-3, to capture the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup championship here today at Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium behind by a three-point performance from Jack Hextall (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) (1g, 2a) and four power-play goals.
Team USA captures its second championship at the event and first since 2003, finishing the tournament with a record of 3-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L).
“It’s amazing. Our guys battled hard, and our power play was great. It’s a great feeling to win that one,” said Kevin Porter (Plymouth, Mich.), head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team. “These players came to play every night. It was awesome to see. We’re champions now.”
Elton Hermansson opened the scoring for Sweden 10 seconds into the contest, firing a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle home.
The U.S. responded at 2:53 as Levi Harper (Tampa, Fla.) wristed a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle through traffic past Swedish netminder Milo Tjärnlund.
Noah Davidson (Irvine, Calif.) scored 1:04 later, tapping in a cross-crease pass from Hextall just nine seconds into a power play to give Team USA its first lead of the contest
Theodor Knights then knotted the contest at 2-2, as his shot from the point was redirected and found the back of the net 6:28 into the first period.
The U.S. regained the lead at 17:12 with its second power-play goal, this time from Hextall, who ripped a wrist shot over Tjärnlund’s glove from just outside the slot.
Nikita Klepov (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) added Team USA’s third power-play tally of the game 45 seconds into the second period, skating in front of the Swedish crease and rifling a shot into the top of the net to double his team’s lead to 4-2.
Hermansson scored his second goal of the game to make it a 4-3 game on a one-timer from the right circle on a 5-on-3 power play at 17:58 of the second period.
U.S. netminder Brady Knowling (Chicago, Ill.) made a cross-crease save with 2:33 remaining in the third period, sliding across and smothering the chance to keep the U.S. ahead by one. Knowling finished the game with 26 saves.
Nick Bogas (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) scored Team USA’s fourth power-play goal of the contest with 2:26 remaining to seal the championship and account for the 5-3 score.
NOTES: Jack Hextall was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Sweden, 35-29 … Team USA went 4-for-7 on the power play, while Sweden went 1-for-4 on power plays.
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