In Group B play, Team USA edged Czechia 4-3 in the shootout at the Under-20 World Junior Championships (WJC). Isaac Howard scored the winner in extras to give the Americans the win over the Czechs.
The game featured back and forth action between two good teams that were vying to stay within reach of undefeated Slovakia in Group B. With the victory, Team USA improved to 2-1-0-0. Their eight points trail Slovakia by one with a big game on New Year’s Eve to decide who wins the group.
Czechia proved to be a very difficult opponent for Team USA. They played a heavy style with physicality and had two one-goal leads in regulation. Michael Hrabal supplied strong goaltending by making 30 saves on 33 shots. The Coyotes’ prospect kept Czechia alive in a shaky third period where players kept turning over pucks to give Team USA great scoring opportunities.
The game couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for the Americans. Over a minute into the action, Howard finished off a good lead pass from Frank Nazar to convert a two-on-one. That gave Team USA an early 1-0 lead at 1:12.
However, they failed to capitalize on a couple of power plays that Gavin Brindley drew. Czechia was able to kill off the penalties thanks to some timely saves from Hrabal. Team USA also missed the net on some chances. It was a common theme throughout the game. Both Cutter Gauthier and Jimmy Snuggerud couldn’t hit the net on some quality chances.
Hrabal might have had something to do with it. Listed at six-foot six, he takes up a lot of the net. The Coyotes’ 2023 second round pick also has good footwork. Able to move well laterally, the 18-year-old looks like the goalie of the future for Arizona. He’s won seven games while posting a 2.67 goals-against-average (GAA) and .905 save percentage at UMass-Amherst in Hockey East.
Despite being held in check by a stingy USA defense, Czechia was opportunistic in the first period. On only their second shot of the game, they evened the score when Jakub Stancl was left alone in front to finish a Dominik Rymon pass with 4:20 left in the period. Previously, Hrabal made a good stop on one end. That allowed Czechia to quickly counter to tie it up.
Although they played a good opening period, Team USA found themselves tied at the break. It was a sign of things to come.
The second period saw each side pick up the scoring. They combined for four goals over a 7:48 span. Whenever one team scored, the other side countered quickly. It made for an exciting brand of hockey.
Czechia grabbed their first lead when Adam Bares snapped a wrist shot past USA goalie Jacob Fowler at 6:23 of the second. He handled a carom off a Matej Prcik pass and surprised Fowler with a quick shot.
Fowler made his second consecutive start in place of Trey Augustine, who was out ill. USA defenseman Seamus Casey also was out due to illness. USA went with six defensemen. Only extra forward Oliver Moore didn’t play.
Less than two minutes later, Will Smith responded by finishing off a nice passing from Boston College linemate Ryan Leonard to draw Team USA back even with 11:56 left in the second. The goal was the result of a quick play in transition. Rangers’ prospect Gabe Perreault got it started by moving the puck to Leonard, who found Smith wide open to tie it at two.
However, Team USA got sloppy defensively. Just over three and a half minutes later, Czechia executed a rush in transition that resulted in Sale setting up Robin Sapousek to go back ahead 3-2 with 8:13 remaining in the period.
Matyas Melovsky got the puck up for Sale, who skated around one USA defender and then centered for Sapousek, who was left all alone in front for the Czechia goal. It was poor coverage by the Americans.
Less than two and a half minutes later, this time, the USA answered back to level the game at three. Following a strong stop by Hrabal on Lane Hutson, Hutson stayed with the rebound and found defense partner Ryan Chesley in front for a one-timer that tied it again.
Hutson was selected as the top player of the game for Team USA. It’s the second time in the tournament he’s received that honor. Big things are expected from the Canadiens’ 2022 second round pick who’s in his second year at Boston University.
The third period saw Team USA apply heavy pressure on Czechia. Despite strong puck possession that included a few shifts where they had the Czechs on their heels, they couldn’t find a way to beat Hrabal. Either he made the saves, or USA players were unable to score. There were several close calls due to Czechia continuing to turn over pucks in their end.
In the three-on-three portion of overtime, Brindley was high-sticked to put Team USA on a 4-on-3 power play. Despite getting some good looks, they were unable to score. Both Snuggerud and Gauthier had shots sail over the net.
With the teams skating 4-on-4, the best chance came when the dangerous Jiri Kulich got off a wrist shot in the high slot. It narrowly missed. He nearly put in the rebound. The Sabres’ prospect is playing in his third WJC. Having already posted a hat trick in a Czechia win, Kulich has three goals and two assists for five points thus far. He has 22 career points in 17 games at the WJC.
The game required a shootout. In it, it looked like Kulich’s goal in the bottom of the third round would hold up for Czechia.
But Fowler denied Ondrej Becher to keep it alive. Perreault made a great move and banked in a backhand off a good fake to draw Team USA even in the fifth round.
After Fowler prevented Matyas Sapovaliv from winning it, he made an aggressive poke check in extras to thwart Kulich. That save was the biggest one of the game. After Hrabal got over to deny Perreault on another strong move, Fowler stopped Sale to set the stage for Howard.
A patient Howard waited before finding just enough real estate to beat Hrabal to give Team USA an exciting 4-3 shootout win over Czechia.
It was an excellent game. If Team USA expects to win the gold medal, they’ll likely have to go through Czechia again. Much depends on the final game of group play when they battle Slovakia for the top seed. Whoever prevails should have an easier path.
In another game to keep a close eye on, host Sweden is currently leading Canada 2-0 after one period. The winner would have e the upper hand on the top spot in Group A.
There’ll be more crucial games coming over the weekend. Then, it’s on to the quarterfinals.
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