Christian Wulanen from USA, center, calls for a puck game with Norwegian Emilio Petersen during the World Series B Ice Hockey Championship between Norway and the USA in Riga, Latvia, on Saturday, May 29, 2021 (AP Photo / Sergei Frick)

Riga, Latvia (AFP) – Taej Thompson scored a goal and assist, and the United States won its fourth consecutive game in the World Ice Hockey Championship 2-1 against Norway on Saturday.

Jake Utinger made 22 saves, and Connor Garland also scored. The Americans are second in Group B, one point behind Finland – which beat the United States in the opening game – with two games remaining. The top four teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals.

“We took the initiative at the end and got good support from Norway,” Thompson said. “Our expectations are for gold, expect no less. This is what we came for.”

Ken Andre Olympique scored for Norway.

Finland defeated fourth-place Germany 2-1, while Arttu Ruotsalainen won midway through the third game.

Also in Group Two, Roman Starchenko scored twice and provided three assists in Kazakhstan’s 11-3 victory over Italy.

Russia and Slovakia both won and remained at the top of Group A.

Sergei Tolchinsky scored a goal and set up in the third half, with Russia’s 4-1 victory over Switzerland, and Julius Hodasik’s 24 saves in Slovakia’s 2-0 victory over Denmark.

Lepor Solak also scored twice in the Czech Republic’s 2-1 victory over Great Britain.