Czechs Edge USA To Reach Olympic Hockey Semi-finals

The United States were dumped out of the men's Olympic ice hockey tournament Wednesday, losing 3-2 to the undefeated Czechs in the quarter-finals

Gangneung, South Korea, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Feb, 2018 ) :The United States were dumped out of the men's Olympic ice hockey tournament Wednesday, losing 3-2 to the undefeated Czechs in the quarter-finals.

Petr Koukal's penalties shootout goal, the only one surrendered in the best-of-five decider, lifted the Czechs into the semi-finals. In search of their first gold medal in 20 years they go into a Friday matchup against the winner of a later quarter-final between the Olympic Athletes from Russia and Norway.

Koukal faked and when US goaltender Ryan Zapolski moved, flipped the puck past him on the decisive shot. Czech goaltender Pavel Francouz, who made 18 saves in the game, denied Olympic scoring leader Ryan Donato on the second US shot and blanked Bobby Butler on the Americans' final shot to seal the triumph.

While the NHL's top stars are absent for the first time since 1994 over money and injury issues, no drama was lacking on a day when four teams ensure playing for a medal and four are sent home empty handed.

But there were thousands of empty seats, with some whole lower-level sections vacant in the half-full arena, for the US-Czech opening faceoff. The Czechs denied the US a full line change for several minutes in the second period, sustained pressure leading to a slapshot goal from defenceman Tomas Kundratek 8:14 into the session for a 2-1 Czech lead.

But the Americans equalised just 2:09 later on 35-year-old former NHLer Jim Slater's shorthanded breakaway goal and the two sides battled scorelessly from there into the shootout. Harvard University star Donato scored his Olympics-best fifth goal 6:20 into the first period, taking a pass from fellow US collegian Troy Terry atop the left faceoff circle and firing a wrist shot into the far side of the net.

Czech defenceman Jan Kolar equalised 8:52 later on a blue-line slapshot over Zapolski's left glove. Other quarter-finals Wednesday will match two-time defending champion Canada against Finland, a medallist in four of the past five Olympics, and undefeated Sweden against Germany.