USA Continues To Dominate The World, Take Down Czechia In Massive World Juniors Shootout Win
Who: USA vs Czechia
What: WJC game #3
When: 11am EST
Where: Gothenburg, Sweden // NHL Network
Why: Because George Washington said so.
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Technically speaking, the 2024 World Juniors got underway on Tuesday morning. But Team USA was gifted one of the easier starts to the tournament you could ever hope for. They were able to sleepwalk through most of their tournament opener against Norway before locking up a 4-1 win, and then they were able to dummy Switzerland yesterday by a score of 11-3.
But now the tournament actually gets started for the Americans. They have a game against the Czechs today, then they play Slovakia at 6am EST on New Years Eve to close out group play. Team USA is without a doubt a favorite to win this tournament, but both Czechia and Slovakia have the ability to make it a harder road for them to get to that gold medal game.
The Czechs dropped their tournament opener to Slovakia on Tuesday, but bounced back with an 8-1 win over Norway on Wednesday. That was the exact type of game they needed to get their stallions going like Jiri Kulich (BUF '22, 1st rd) and Eduard Sale (SEA '23, 1st rd) who each had hat tricks in the game. In a short tournament like the World Juniors, it's all about getting a couple of guys hot enough to carry the team. Kulich and Sale are fully capable of that.
Luckily for the Americans, however, they also have a couple of stallions who look like they can score every time they touch the puck right now. Jimmy Snuggerud (STL '22, 1st rd) and Gavin Brindley (CBJ '23, 2nd rd) both have 4 goals through 2 games in the tournament so far.
Cutter Gauthier (PHI '22, 1st rd) hasn't found the back of the net yet, but he has 4 assists so far. And it's only a matter of time before one of his shots on the powerplay busts the floodgates wide open. It looks like USA is going back with Jacob Fowler (MTL '23, 3rd rd) between the pipes again today. He's been one of the best goalies in college hockey so far this season, so even if guys like Kulich and Sale are able to get on the board for Czechia today, they shouldn't get used to it because it likely won't happen again.
Wins have been pretty easy to come by for the Americans so far this tournament. But now is a great chance for them to flip that switch and really grind one out before the elimination rounds get going. So with all that being said…let's get this live blog activated. For those of you who have been around for the past few years, you already know the drill by now. But for anyone who is new here, make sure to check back in between periods for game updates. Also feel free to follow along on Twitter @BarstoolJordie for more updates.
End of the 1st: USA 1 -- Czechia 1
Well you couldn't ask for a much better start to this game. First shot, first goal of the day goes to Isaac Howard (TBL '22, 1st rd) after another beauty of an assist out of Frank Nazar (CHI '22, 1st rd) this tournament.
That's 6 assists so far this tournament for Nazar, and it feels like at least 5 of them have been primaries.
USA had the ice tilted for a while there and picked up a couple of powerplays to give themselves a chance to build on their lead, but couldn't get anything to drop. And if you let those pesky Czechs hang around long enough, they're going to make you pay. Late in the first period, it was Jakub Stancl (STL '23, 4th rd) making the most out of this opportunity to tie the game at 1.
Tough break for Team USA. Strap in for a battle.
End of the 2nd: USA 3 -- Czechia 3
As much as I hate to admit it, the Czechs just play such a tougher brand of hockey than the Americans. They're big, they're physical, they're gritty. So for the 2nd goal in a row, they work the puck low and then crash the net for a quick strike. This time it was Adam Bares giving the Czechs the lead.
It's the first time this tournament that Team USA was trailing. But luckily for them, they have a few Golden Eagles on the squad to get the boys buzzing again. The Boston College line of Gabe Perreault (NYR '23, 1st rd), Ryan Leonard (WSH '23, 1st rd) and Will Smith (SJS '23, 1st rd) got together here to tie the game up at 2.
Things were looking good again for the Americans until they weren't. Because just a few minutes after that, Eduard Sale set up Robin Sapousek for this spicy little 'Chel goal to take a 3-2 lead.
Great feed, great finish. You knew the Czechs weren't going to go down easily this game, but you didn't think they'd force the Americans to keep getting up off the mat like this. But that's what America does best. This team might not be as "gritty" as USA teams of the past, but these kids don't quit and they always respond. So this time it was Ryan Chesley (WSH '22, 2nd rd) with a piss missile to tie the game back up at 3.
20 minutes to go. This game has been unreal so far, and it's been getting a little chippy out there. So I'd expect this 3rd period to be the best of the tournament so far.
End of the 3rd Period: USA 3 -- Czechia 3
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End of Overtime: USA 3 -- Czechia 3
After at least 6 or 7 insane chances on the powerplay, USA still couldn't find the back of the net in overtime. Off to the shootout.
SHOOTOUT FINAL: USA 4 -- CZECHIA 3
Well they couldn't wrap it up in 60 minutes. They couldn't wrap it up after an additional 5 minutes of overtime. Hell, they couldn't even wrap it up after the first 5 rounds of the shootout with both teams tied at 1 score a piece. But in the 7th round of the shootout, Isaac Howard put an end to the game that he started just over a minute into regulation.
What a legend. What a game. What a massive win for the Americans to set themselves up to lock down that 1-seed coming out of Group B with a showdown against the Slovakians on New Years Eve. God that was intense, but that's just American hockey, baby.
USA Hockey is Do Or Die.