By: Ryan Bosworth | Follow me on Twitter / X @RyanJBosworth
Seven Bruins players are representing their home countries at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship tournament: David Pastrnak and Jakub Lauko (Czechia), Jeremy Swayman, Mason Lohrei, and Andrew Peeke (United States), Elias Lindholm (Sweden), and prospect Dans Locmelis (Latvia). Each country has played two games thus far, and each of the players representing their countries have had strong outings.
Elias Lindholm, who has 1-3-4 through two games played with Sweden, has faced off against Slovakia and Austria. In his game against Slovakia, he 1-1-2. In his second game, against Austria, he tallied two more assists, bumping his point totals to four points across two games in both of Sweden’s wins. Lindholm is continuing to show the promise he was building on down the stretch of the 2024-25 National Hockey League regular season.
David Pastrnak, 1-2-3 through two games played, scored the game winner in Czechia’s 2-1 victory over Norway earlier today. In Czechia’s first game, which saw them square off with Switzerland, Pastrnak skated away with two points, both assists, with a helper on Czechia’s first goal of the tournament, scored by Matej Stransky. His second assist came on the overtime game-winning goal, which was scored by Roman Cervenka.
Skating for Czechia with David Pastrnak is recently reacquired Jakub Lauko. Lauko has played in both of Czechia’s games and has recorded one point, which was a secondary assist on Jakub Flek’s opening goal for Czechia against Norway earlier today. While it’s been a quiet start for the scrappy fourth-liner, he brings an aspect of energy that’s just as important as points on the scoresheet.
Boston has three roster players on Team USA — defensemen Andrew Peeke and Mason Lohrei, and netminder Jeremy Swayman. Swayman didn’t play in the United States’ opening game against Denmark, but he got the start in their second game against Hungary, where he posted a 13-save shutout in the United States’ 6-0 victory. With Swayman stopping all the shots he faced, it’s a strong confidence boost after an extremely lackluster 2024-25 NHL season, and something he can build on in his later starts for Team USA.
Andrew Peeke, one of the two defensemen joining Team USA from Boston, has 0-1-1 through USA’s two games. The point came against Denmark on Team USA’s third goal, which Matty Beniers scored. Peeke has also gone plus two since the start of the tournament, and while it isn’t the most representative stat, the 27-year-old has had promising defensive play.
The other defenseman joining Peeke from Boston is 24-year-old Mason Lohrei. The 2025 World Championship marks Lohrei’s Team USA debut, and he’s had a strong start. Posting 1-2-3 through his two games in the Red, White, and Blue, Lohrei’s offensive aspect has continued from his time with Boston.
The final member of the Bruins organization attending the IIHF World Championship is Bruins prospect Dans Locmelis. The 21-year-old centerman recently left UMass to join the Bruins’ American Hockey League affiliate Providence Bruins, where he got off to a red-hot start after a strong season at UMass.
His production continued into the start of the tournament, posting 2-0-2 in Latvia’s 4-1 victory over France. In Latvia’s second game, where they faced off against Canada, Locmelis posted 0-1-1 in their 7-1 loss. Despite losing by a wide margin, the Jelgava, Latvia native had a strong outing, leading all Latvian forwards in time-on-ice at 19:46, while also putting three shots on goal, as Brian DeFelice reports on X.
The United States, Sweden, and Czechia all play tomorrow, May 12th, with the United States squaring up against Switzerland, Sweden facing off against Finland and Czechia facing off against Denmark.
Leave a Reply