Slovenia Skates with U.S. Early, Miscues Lead to Rout.

Slovenia played well in the first period, but Luka Gracnar and the Slovenian defense was shaky when the United States turned it on physically.  Phil Kessel scored a natural hat trick and the Americans skated easily into the quarterfinals with a 5-1 victory.

The first Kessel goal came with a nice move around Mitja Robar and he caught Gracnar between the legs.  His second came swatting a pass out of midair from Joe Pavelski into the open net. The final Kessel goal came in the second period off of a Pavelski slap shot.  Grachnar was able to see around a James van Riemsdyk screen, but the rebound was sent to a waiting Kessel who tapped in an easy goal.

McDonagh would also score for the U.S. in the second period.  Wheeler cycled across the blue line and deep into the Slovenian zone untouched.  A cross ice pass went past a waiting David Backes in front of the net to McDonagh on the opposite side circle.  He had a lot of time to get a shot nice and high above Gracnar.

Backes would get a goal of his own in the final period.  It appeared he knocked the goal in off his skate rushing the net, but after review he was able to get his stick on it before it found its way past Gracnar.  

The United States played confident, but lackadaisical at times.  It caught up with them when Bruce Orpik did not get to a puck fast enough and Marcel Rodman caught the United States off guard flying to a sitting puck.  Rodman swatted a puck past Miller with 18 seconds remaining to kill the United States shutout opportunity.

Slovenia ended the group stage with the eighth seed and will play Austria (9th) on the 18th.  The United States will most likely end up with the third seed, but will have to wait until the final of the Finland-Canada match to see where they officially end up.  The United States are the Group A champions and earned a spot in the quarterfinals with victories over Russia, Slovakia and Slovenia.  

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