There were just two Edmonton Oilers in action on Monday, as Isaac Howard’s USA took on Hungary, while Josh Samanski’s Germany faced Great Britain. All five Oilers have a chance to make the playoff round, but help is needed.

Let’s take a look at how those two games went, as well as set up Tuesday’s final games.

Germany drubs Great Britain

The other Oiler player in action happens to be another youngster, Josh Samanski. He and Germany defeated Great Britain 6-3, ending their Monday night in a playoff round for now.

With about six to play in the first period, Alexander Karachun opened the scoring for the Germans. Then in the final minute, Frederik Tiffels and Fabio Wagner scored to give Germany a 3-0 after 20 minutes.

Andreas Eder scored just over two minutes into the second period, extending the German lead to 4-0. Great Britain finally got on the board courtesy of Robert Dowd’s goal less than two minutes later, but the teams entered the final 20 with Germany leading 4-1.

It took just 17 seconds into the third for the Germans to restore their four-goal lead, as Samanski scored his second of the tournament. Nine minutes into the third, the second best German hockey player named Leon, Leon Gawanke, scored to give Germany a 6-1 lead. Great Britain scored twice in the final 10 minutes, but Germany did enough to secure the victory.

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Joshua Samanski wastes no time in the third period, scoring just 17 seconds in to extend Germany’s lead to 5–1 over Great Britain! #MensWorlds

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7:56 PM · May 25, 2026

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Samanski fired two shots on goal, managing to beat the netminder on his second shot of the game. The left-shot centre also played a little over 17 minutes, finishing plus-2 and winning six of the nine draws he took. He now has two goals and seven points in seven games, but this may be the last game he plays in the tournament.

Howard quiet, but USA wins

The Americans were in must-win territory, and they did just that against Hungary on Monday with a 7-4 victory. Midway through the first period, Justin Faulk scored for the Americans, and with less than two to play in the first period, Matthew Tkachuk extended their lead to two.

Just over two minutes into the second period, Ryan Leonard gave USA a 3-0 lead, which was quickly extended to four as Faulk scored his second of the game eight minutes into the second. Hungary got on the board thanks to a goal from Csanád Erdély, but Leonard scored his second of the period with less than two to play.

Taking a 5-1 lead into the third period, the Hungarians made it a game. Erdély scored his second of the game seven minutes into the final frame, then Gábor Tornyai scored with just under six to play, drawing within two. However, Tkachuk iced the game with an empty-netter, his second of the game, before Max Plante scored with 27 seconds left for good measure.

As for Howard, it was a pretty quiet game for the Oilers’ forward. He played about 15 minutes, firing three shots on goal over his 14 shifts. Those 14 shifts were the second-fewest of any American. Howard still has three goals and an assist, but both Tommy Novak and Tkachuk have surpassed his point total.

He’s still tied for the team-lead in goals.

Other notes…

With Monday’s games complete, there is just one day remaining in the preliminary round. Here’s what the standings are looking like for the Oilers currently at the tournament.

Norway defeated Czechia 4-1, meaning that Canada has officially clinched first in Group B no matter how Tuesday’s game goes. As for fellow Group B team, Sweden, their chances of making the playoff rounds are hanging in the balance.

The only way Mattias Ekholm and the Swedes can make the playoff round is with a defeat of Slovakia in regulation on Tuesday. A regulation win will give them 12 points to Slovakia’s 11, just barely squeaking into the playoffs. If this game goes to overtime, Ekholm’s tournament is done.

In Group A, Samanski and the Germans occupy third. They’re just one of two teams in the group that have completed their preliminary schedule, and their hopes of a playoff round are precarious, to say the least. Why?

Well, right now Austria and Latvia have nine points, while USA has eight points. All three teams have one game remaining. No matter what, three points will be awarded from the game between USA and Austria, so one of the two teams will jump over Germany.

Now, there is a pathway to where all five Oilers at the tournament make the playoff round. We already know that Sweden needs to beat Slovakia in regulation and USA needs to beat Austria in regulation, but if Hungary can somehow defeat the Latvians in regulation, Germany will finish fourth in the group. The first two results are possible, but it seems unlikely Latvia falls to Hungary.

USA plays Austria at 8:20 AM, the same start time of Sweden and Slovakia game. Canada takes on Czechia at 12:20 PM MT. Latvia’s game against Hungary, the other game to keep an eye on, starts at 4:20 AM MT.

As for the other two games, Norway takes on Denmark. If Norway wins, they’ll finish second in the group, setting up a possible matchup with the Americans. There are just two perfect teams remaining in the tournament, Finland and Switzerland. They’ll play at 12:20 PM MT to decide who wins Group A. The winner will face the winner of Slovakia/Sweden.