USA raise the voice

02 Jan 2013 | Davide Tuniz from Ufa - Photos by Marco Bertolini

Americans routed Czech Republic in the quarter final and promise a battle against Canada in tomorrow's semi final

In a again cold Ufa Czech Republic and USA open the quarter finals at WJC. American team can’t count with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, suspended for one game while Miroslav Prerost’s troop is complete. Game starts slowly, stakes are high: Czech doesn’t take advantage twice from a power play, immediately equalizing the men on the ice. The first real chance is at 07.11 when Cole Bardreau doesn’t capitalize a promising counter-attack earning a penalty and leaving his team in a dangerous 5vs3 situation but goalie John Gibson is reactive on two shots by Tomas Hertl. Teams top scorers Dmitri Jaskin and Alex Galchenyuk are well controlled by defenses but Czech suffers the quick American style of game and concede a lot of penalties. In a 5vs3 situation at 11.45 US open the score with a very well prepared move by Seth Jones and Jacob Trouba, finalizing by John Gaudreau who can count on an unlucky deflection by a Czech defender that left the puck on Gaudreau stick with the net opened. With 6 minutes before the end of first period Czech defender Tomas Pavelek has his minute of fame missing a great chance to tie game, well deflected by Gibson, and on the following counterattack, he is decisive in saving a sure hit. But Czech Republic closes the period constantly pressing American team even without a clear chance, in fact risking with a quick counter attack by Blake Pietila who wasted the chance shooting on Patrik Bartosak.

The second period begins as a nightmare for Czech Republic: USA scores twice: after 22 seconds again with John Gaudreau on power play and again with the puck that is deflecting by some sticks and 40 seconds after with Ryan Hartman, skillful in finalizing a not perfect rebound by Bartosak. After the goal coach Prerost change the goalie and back up Matej Machovsky can immediately test his reflex rebounding shots by Jacob Trouba and Tyler Biggs. The hurricane passes and the Czechs are able to re-organize their style, becoming more aggressive and occupying the American quarter, supported by the crow, around the half period, until a naïve penalty called for Martin Frk that gives American the chance to deal another punch: very good combination between Galchenyuk and Riley Barber with the last smart pass to put the Miami Ohio University forward in front of the open net. Also in this goal there is the print of defender Jacob Trouba, the initiator of almost all American offensive moves. Czech can say goodbye to Ufa at 32:13 when lost a puck during an attack, David Musil slips and for Barber it’s easy to beat Machovsky. Czech Republic really deserves to score but American defense is very concentrate, goalie Gibson has excellent sense of position and the imprecision of Czech forwards completes the scenario. Rocco Grimaldi and Tyler Biggs eat up two capital chances alone in front of Machovski cage and also the skilled Barber miss the opportunity of the personal hat-trick shooting over the bar a brilliant assist by Biggs. But in the middle of this collection of missing chances, John Gaudreau capitalizes the usual power play closing the period with a obvious 6-0 USA.

Petr Beranek and twice Martin Frk open the frustrating Czech tentative to score a goal in the third period. But again Czech naively concede penalties, American thanks and score their seventh goal at 44:08 with the Gaudreau-Trouba firm. The game finishes with the perfect image of this challenge: a double power play for USA due to unnecessary rough charges. But a seven goals gap and the shoot out for goalie John Gibson are enough for the Americans. MVP: Dmitri Jaskin – John Gaudreau

Looking at the score, it seems US totally dominated the game, but in fact it isn’t. American simply take advantage to every Czech mistake and there were a lot: Czech team exceeded in penalties, playing several minutes with one or two men less and has an useless provocative attitude. But of course it can’t be underestimated the American quality: a secure goalie, a defense line very well assorted – the arm, Seth Jones and Mike Reilly and the brain: Jacob Trouba and Connor Murphy – and very skilled forwards. But most of all, American know exactly when to finalize, when to push the gas and when to save energies. A serious contender for gold medal and a tough opponent for Canada in the semifinal.

Forward Riley Barber is happy with the performance of all team: "We played in a smart way, I'm very happy not just for my game but because we use at the best our qualities, mainly in power play. Tomorrow it will be a fun game against Canada , they had a day more to rest but when US and Canada play almost all of these factors don't count."

"Honestly I expected a different game from Czech" - admits Cole Bardreau - "but I can't say it was an easy game. We played well and capitalized our chances."