U.S. bounces back with 5-1 win over Britain at worlds

The United States turned a restless start to the world championship into a controlled response, beating Great Britain 5-1 in Zurich and showing that one loss to Switzerland did not knock the defending champions off course. Isaac Howard scored twice, Paul Cotter and Mathieu Olivier each collected three points, and Declan Carlile added a goal and an assist as the Americans pulled away after a 1-1 tie late in the second period.

The result carried more weight than a routine bounce-back. After opening the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship with a 3-1 loss to host Switzerland, the U.S. needed points and a cleaner performance in Group A. It got both. The Americans outshot Britain 39-19, kept pressure on throughout the third period, and banked three important Group A points in a tournament where goal differential and momentum can shape the path to the knockout round.

For Don Granato, named by USA Hockey to coach the 2026 U.S. Men’s National Team on March 25, the game offered an early read on depth and discipline. The scoring came from multiple lines rather than a single carried roster, and Devin Cooley made 18 saves to steady a group that had looked vulnerable in the opener against Switzerland, the same Swiss team that had beaten the U.S. in a rematch of the 2025 final.

Britain, back in the top division after winning Division I Group A in 2025, again found the level unforgiving. Nathanael Halbert scored its only goal, with Ben Bowns in net, but the British side never fully recovered after falling behind in a game that was tied only briefly. The loss followed a 5-2 defeat to Austria in which the Austrians struck three times in the first 10 minutes, a harsh reminder of the gap Britain must close after its promotion.

Mathieu Olivier said the Americans expected to keep wearing teams down as games went on, and that approach showed against a Britain side still adjusting to elite competition. Finland waits next, offering a better measure of whether this was simply a confidence-restoring result or the start of a true championship push.