USA "just" go to semifinals

14 May 2015 | Petr Polák

Even though the tournament is about to break the attendance best record, atmosphere at the quarterfinal game one between USA and Switzerland was rarther calm.

Interestingly, so was the game tempo. Frankly, if I did not know this was a quarterfinal, I would guess it is just a training session.

After the opening twenty minutes, Swiss were the happier one, as they were in an one goal lead. During the fourteenth minute, a defender Roman Josi took the puck in his defensive zone, skated from one end to another, made a nice move between defenders and with a wristshot he got his team on the board.

But Americans presented with a great start to the middle session. Seventeen seconds after its opening faceoff, Ben Smith tied the score from a spot in between the circles after receiving a pass from behind the Swiss` net by Jimmy Vesey.

And only after next 57 seconds the Stars and Stripes turned it over. Now it was Charlie Coyle and his slapper which succeeeded against goaltender Rito Berra - 2:1.

In next minutes only occassional chances on either side were to see. No continuing pressure, no hits, no figts. Nothing at all.

Six and half thousand of spectators were woken up from letargy no sooner than ten minutes before the third period`s ending, when Charlie Coyle`s wristshot from the blue line was a clean shot which formed the final score 3:1 for the United States.

The only symptoms of a graduating game could be visible during the last 120 seconds when Switzerland started occupying Connor Helleubuck`s goalie crease, still no real scoring chance was born.

Thus, with the final score 3-1 the United States do what was expected from them and with no special emotions are awaiting their semifinal opponent, one of the couple Sweden - Russia.

Two years ago, Switzerland won over USA in the 2013 World Championship`s semifinal, today America paid it back. But Justin Faulk who also was a member of the former 2013 Team USA rorster does not feel any satisfaction: "No, I don`t. I am glad we turned over the score and won. Now I hope to win two more games," he said.

And what does it mean for Switzerland? For some teams, passing through quarterfinals is the breaking point if a tournament was successful or not. "We were happy to get to the quarterfinals. It was good to be here, but now it sucks when we get out," means Damien Brunner.