The US is going to the semifinals!
Yesterday, the US beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in an shot heavy contest. For two straight periods, the score remained tied. After a scoreless first period, Michaela Pejzlova of the Czech Republic and Hilary Knight of the United States contributed goals of their own in the second. Pejzlova broke the 0-0 with a goal 5 minutes into the period. Knight answered her not even a minute later to get the tie and both teams kept it there for the remainder of the period.
Going into the 3rd, I was a little worried. I wasn’t able to watch but I was constantly checking in, hoping for more goal updates. The US and Czechs had yet to play a game against one another in this Olympics but this US team was just too good to go out like this. And it seems like in that second intermission, they remembered that.
Lee Stecklein was the difference maker. She burst right out of the gate in the 3rd with a goal 6:49 minutes in and the US has the lead and the momentum.
10 minutes later, the US goes on the power play and grabs another from the young Savannah Harmon. Captain Kendall Coyne Schofield seals the deal with an empty-netter and the US wins this one 4-1.
The fact this game ended 4-1 is preposterous because if anyone other than Klara Peslarova was in the Czech net, this could have been a 20-1 game. By the end of 60 minutes, the US got 59 shots on Peslarova and she only allowed 4 of them passed her. Meanwhile, her Czech teammates registered just 6 shots against Alex Cavallini, only 1 got through.
The US leaders were alive in this game. Kendall Coyne ended the night with a goal, an assist, 21:06 in ice time, and 11 shots on net. Hilary Knight also had a goal and an assist with 21:49 played and 5 shots on net. Lee Stecklein, the scorer of the GWG, was rightfully named player of the game, she also registered 3 shots on net with 27:44 minutes on the ice.
Another great win for this US team but the battle isn’t over yet. The US will now be advancing on to play in the semifinals. They’ll be playing the winner of the Finland vs Japan game that’s happening at 2:40AM CT tomorrow morning. Either team will be a tough test but I am excited to see who we get. No matter who is next, I know this team is ready to take them.
Find more at ham-sports.com
Visit our shop here
Tweet me @shortman_hams
Tweet us @ham_sports
Featured Image: US Hockey's Twitter
Ham Sports 