NCAA Player of the Year Jack Eichel scored with 28 seconds left in overtime to lift the U.S. over Slovakia 5-4 to top its group at the World Hockey Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Tuesday.
Eichel, 18 and in his first senior World Championship, and the U.S. advanced to play Switzerland in the quarterfinals Thursday. His goal guaranteed the U.S. will not face the other group winner, two-time reigning Olympic champion Canada, until a potential gold-medal game or bronze-medal game.
Switzerland, fourth in its group, is without stalwart Calgary Flames goalie Jonas Hiller at Worlds.