USA – Czech Republic 3:0, CUT: No hope. The hockey team was not good enough for the USA and ends up in the quarterfinals

In the first period, it was a desperate performance from the Czechs, in many ways similar to some passages from the matches against Canada and Switzerland. On shots it was 11:2 for the United States, as the Czechs were troubled by the American attack and the opponent’s speed concept. Under pressure, they got rid of the puck, often just helplessly throwing it out of the zone or naively shooting forward.

Not even a two-minute power play got them into the game, after which, on the contrary, the American goal came. Matt Coronato turned around, the puck from his stick first bounced off Dvořák’s skate and then Jordán behind Vejmelk’s back.

It may have seemed like luck, but it was more the result of the more than a minute carousel the Americans had created earlier. And it was obvious that if the Czechs did not significantly change their game after the break, it would be final!

It just flashed in the middle for a few minutes. The Czechs entered it more actively, Zbořil appeared in a solid chance, but DeSmith caught him. Even so, after three minutes, the team scored more shots than in the entire first period combined. But another blow came in the 29th minute. The Czechs lost a throw-in in their defensive zone and Perbix made it 2-0 with a millimeter swing. It was already the umpteenth goal that the national team got after losing a game. And not the last…

Subsequently, the Americans again took over the reins, for an impartial observer it was amazing to see how quickly they managed to control the puck. “We always lacked something to perform well enough to be successful. We just didn’t get a goal there. You can’t blame it on bad luck, America probably went for it more. I don’t know why. We knew they were going to skate, have the puck on their stick, turn things around quickly. On the other hand, there were spaces that could be used. And we didn’t use them,” said captain Roman Červenka.

In the third part, coach Jalonen mixed up the attacks, used the fourth only sporadically, and right at the beginning, Červenka pushed the American goalie himself, but he was not successful. Another Czech power play didn’t bring anything – really nothing – and so a penalty followed. The Czechs lost the throw-in in their own zone (who would be surprised!) and Gauthier made it 3-0.

For the Czechs, the championship ends already in the quarter-finals, and above all, with the sad knowledge that they did not beat any of the strong opponents, they also lost to Latvia. They finish eighth, which is the worst position in the history of the national team.

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