Hagens, Zellers Carry Team USA Through 6-5 Comeback Win Over Slovakia A chaotic night at Grand Casino Arena ends with the U.S. at 3-0 and set for a New Year’s Eve showdown with Sweden

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The U.S. National Junior Team had to chase the game, steady itself, and then win it twice, but the result is what matters in a short tournament. Team USA erased multiple deficits Monday night and outlasted Slovakia 6-5 in its third preliminary round game of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena.

Boston College’s James Hagens scored two of the biggest goals of the night, including the late second-period equalizer and the early third-period strike that finally put the U.S. in front. North Dakota’s Will Zellers added the game-winner on the power play, his third game-winning goal of the tournament.

Slovakia hit first and hit quickly. Tobias Pitka opened the scoring 8:53 into the game on an odd-man rush, and Tomas Chrenko followed with a power-play goal just 2:22 later to make it 2-0.

The U.S. response arrived in a way that fits the junior hockey identity: effort, speed, and a willingness to attack. Early in the second period, Brendan McMorrow blocked a shot while killing a penalty, carried the puck up ice, and sent a cross-ice feed to AJ Spellacy, who finished from the slot to pull the Americans within one.

But this game never settled. Slovakia answered with a shorthanded goal from Adam Belusko, extending the lead again before the U.S. clawed right back. Spellacy forced a turnover and put a puck toward the net that deflected, and McMorrow cleaned it up at the doorstep to make it 3-2.

Special teams kept swinging the momentum. Ryker Lee tied it on the power play, then Slovakia grabbed the lead again when Michal Svrcek fought through traffic and scored with 5:16 left in the second. With the period winding down, Hagens snapped home a quick-release shot from the slot off a feed from Teddy Stiga to make it 4-4 with 45 seconds remaining.

Eighteen seconds into the third, Hagens struck again, rifling a bouncing puck past Michal Pradel from the left circle to give Team USA its first lead of the night. Minutes later, the U.S. doubled it on the man advantage when LJ Mooney moved the puck across, Brodie Ziemer fed the crease, and Zellers finished from the doorstep for the eventual game-winner.

Slovakia made the finish uncomfortable. With the goalie pulled, Chrenko buried his second of the night with 1:54 left to cut it to one, but the Americans held on. Caleb Heil stopped 26 shots, and the U.S. finished with a 41-31 edge in shots while going 2-for-5 on the power play.

From a JuniorHockey.io lens, this was another reminder of how intertwined the top development lanes are on Team USA’s roster right now: NCAA drivers like Hagens and Stiga at Boston College, Zellers at North Dakota, Mooney at Minnesota, Ziemer at Minnesota, plus major junior pieces like Spellacy (Windsor) and Chase Reid (Soo). It is not one path carrying the group. It is a blend, and nights like this demand contributions from all of it.

Team USA closes preliminary round play Wednesday, Dec. 31, against Sweden at 5 p.m. CT at Grand Casino Arena, with NHL Network carrying the broadcast.