With some huge personalities on the Group USA males’s hockey group, many have puzzled if the mild-mannered Auston Matthews is the best captain for the People.
But when the U.S. is to have an opportunity for a gold medal with the best way favourite Canada rolled by its group play, they’re going to want huge contributions from the gifted Maple Leafs star. Matthews seems to be heating up on the proper time.
Of their workmanlike 5-1 win over Germany on Sunday, Matthews delivered two targets and an help to raise the U.S. to victory and clinch its group, giving them a bye into Wednesday’s quarterfinal. The Yanks will face the winner of the Sweden-Latvia qualification playoff recreation on Tuesday. They opened up group play with a 5-1 win over the Latvians. The U.S. completed 3-0 in group play, outscoring their opponents, 16-5.
“I believed we performed a strong three intervals,” goalscorer Brock Faber advised NBC. “There’s stuff that we have to clear up however total I believed we acquired higher because the match went on. That’s what it’s all about. Now it will get actual.”
The Canadians (3-0) gained their group with a plus-17 objective differential, making them the highest seed. They’ll play the winner of the Czechia-Denmark qualification playoff recreation.
U.S. coach Mike Sullivan made a few tweaks to the lineup, inserting Clayton Keller and scratching Kyle Connor. Connor Hellebuyck was additionally again between the pipes and Jake Oettinger was his backup whereas Jeremy Swayman, who gave up a few shaky goals in the win over Denmark on Saturday, was the odd man out.
The Germany squad — boasting NHL stars Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle and Mo Seider – promised to present the U.S. their hardest recreation of group play. They usually virtually acquired to the primary intermission with a impasse. Draisaitl, a top-five participant within the NHL, was held in verify. He was additionally on the flawed finish of a Matthew Tkachuk chirp that was picked up by a tv microphone.
“At all times a bridemaid, by no means a bride,” tweaked Tkachuk.
Draisaitl’s Edmonton Oilers have misplaced within the Stanley Cup Closing to Tkachuk’s Florida Panthers the final two seasons.
“Some guys you must play more durable than most, bodily and possibly after the whistle generally, too,” Tkachuk advised reporters in Italy. “However I believed our line (with brother Brady and Jack Eichel), particularly Eichel, did an unbelievable of giving him and their line nothing tonight.”
The People at one level held a 13-3 shot benefit within the first however they weren’t precisely clicking. On their energy play, Matthews truly collided with Jack Hughes in their very own zone and the puck sat dangerously in excessive slot, however the U.S. recovered earlier than Germany may reap the benefits of the chance.
Germany seemed to be discovering their legs late within the interval and had a camped out within the U.S. zone for a few shifts.
However simply when it seemed just like the Germans would get to the break with a scoreless tie, the People struck with 8.7 seconds left within the interval.
Quinn Hughes gained a battle alongside the left boards and Matthews grabbed the unfastened puck. The USA captain zipped a cross-ice to Zach Werenski in the precise circle. The Blue Jackets defenseman snapped a wrist shot by Seider’s legs and previous goalie Maximilian Franzreb, offering the People with a much-needed enhance going into intermission.
Early within the second interval, Franzreb made two terrific saves, the primary one a glove stab on a Dylan Larkin shorthanded bid and the second on an Eichel breakaway, who had simply stepped out the field. However with the puck sitting simply exterior the crease on the Eichel probability, the Germans have been pressured to take a penalty.
On the person benefit, the U.S. doubled its lead at 3:25. Quinn Hughes put a puck towards web and the rebound bounced off Matthews’ skate previous Franzreb to make it 2-0.
The U.S. created some extra respiration room with a fluky objective at 17:35. Faber despatched a puck towards the online up excessive. The shot seemed to be going over the online and Eichel put his stick as much as deflect it. He didn’t contact it — if he had, the objective would have come off the board as a result of his stick was over the crossbar — but it surely induced sufficient of a distraction for Franzreb, who tried to glove the puck. He flubbed it and the puck dropped down into the online behind him.
Simply 1:55 into the third interval, Tage Thompson scored on a one-timer from the excessive slot to make it 4-0 and the People may begin turning their focus to Wednesday’s quarterfinal.
Matthews added his second objective off an awesome cross from Jake Sanderson earlier than Stutzle lastly spoiled Hellebuyck’s shutout bid with 8:38 left within the recreation. Hellebuyck made 23 saves within the win and seems prepared for the knock-out stage.
