STOCKHOLM >> The United States beat Sweden 6-2 to advance to the final of the ice hockey world championship on Saturday.

In Sunday’s final, the U.S. will play Switzerland. The Swiss blanked Denmark 7-0 to reach the gold medal game for the second straight year. Switzerland shut out the U.S. 3-0 in the group stage, the Americans’ only defeat.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots against Sweden and the U.S. remained on course to win the worlds for the first time since 1933.

The Americans were also formally awarded the title in 1960 and 1980 when they won the Olympic tournaments and the worlds did not take place.

By reaching the final, the U.S. achieved its best result since the 1950 silver medal.

“It’s a good feeling,” captain Clayton Keller said. “There’s one more game to win. We’re going to focus on tomorrow.”

LISBON, Portugal >> Red-and-white streamers exploded into the air as Arsenal lifted its second Women’s Champions League trophy after stunning defending champion Barcelona 1-0 in the final on Saturday.

Tough defense and a goal by Stina Blackstenius in the 75th minute from a pass by fellow second-half substitute Beth Mead powered Arsenal to glory.

Arsenal’s title came 18 years after it became the first — and still the only — English club to win the top club title in women’s soccer.

NEW YORK >> Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to face hitters this weekend for the first time in his recovery from right elbow surgery.

The two-way superstar originally planned to throw live batting practice Saturday afternoon at Citi Field before the Los Angeles Dodgers play the New York Mets. But after the Dodgers needed 13 innings to win 7-5 on Friday night in a rain-delayed game that ended about 1 a.m., manager Dave Roberts told reporters Ohtani decided to push back the session to Sunday because of the long, late night.

Ohtani had surgery on Sept. 19, 2023, the second major operation on his right elbow since he arrived in the majors, and he hasn’t pitched in a big league game since Aug. 23 that year for the Los Angeles Angels.

There is no target date yet for Ohtani’s pitching debut with the Dodgers, though expectations are it could come in July.

Cora: Bregman out with significant quad strain

BOSTON >> Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman will be out with what manager Alex Cora called a significant right quad strain. The big free agent addition for the Red Sox left their game Friday with tightness in the quad.

Turns out it’s a similar injury to his left quad strain in 2021, one that cost him 58 games.

“Very similar to ‘21,” Cora said after the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 in 10 innings Saturday.

Bregman agreed.

“Yeah, pretty severe right quad strain,” he said, speaking quietly in Boston’s clubhouse in the middle of a doubleheader. “Pretty similar to ‘21. But, it is what it is, and now I’ll try to take it day by day and approach rehab.”

To take his place on the roster, Boston promoted top infielder prospect Marcelo Mayer from Triple-A Worcester. It placed Bregman on the 10-day injured list.

• Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager faced live pitching Saturday in another step in his recovery from a hamstring injury. Seager could return as soon as next week.

NOVA GORICA, Slovenia >> Overall leader Isaac Del Toro gained chunks of time on many of his biggest rivals who were slowed by a crash in the wet and slippery 14th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Saturday.

Kasper Asgreen of Denmark, who got into an early breakaway, won the mostly flat stage all on his own.

Del Toro, the first Mexican rider to wear the pink jersey, finished in the second group 16 seconds behind. But Del Toro’s UAE Team Emirates teammate Juan Ayuso, 2023 champion Primoz Roglic and top-placed Italian Antonio Tiberi all finished further behind.

“We wanted to be ahead in case accidents like that happen or there are splits in the group,” said Del Toro, who is challenging for a Grand Tour victory for the first time.

He entered the stage 38 seconds up on Ayuso and improved his lead to 1 minute, 20 seconds over Simon Yates. Ayuso dropped to third, 1:26 behind; 2019 champion Richard Carapaz was fourth, 2:07 behind; and Roglic trailed by 2:23 in fifth.