Americans double Slovaks to go to 2-0

In their first game against the Czech Republic, the Americans went 2-for-3 on the power play and got goals from five different players. In this one, against Slovakia, they scored on their first three advantages and got goals from six different players.

"That's the identify of our team," said Ryan Hartman, who with 2 points today is now one of five American players with 3 in the tournament. "We don't have that one player that's going to go out there and score four goals, so we all have to pull together as a team and everyone's contributing out there."

"The USA is a very good team and they have a very good power play," said Martin Réway, who along with linemate David Gríger had 2 points in the game and the pair continue to lead the tournament with 6 points. "It's hard to battle back after you get scored on three times on the power play."

The Slovaks did battle back with a pair of power-play goals of their own, but it didn't start out so strong. got the first two power plays of the game and were foiled both times, as the game remained scoreless late into the first period. As the physical play escalated, though, the Slovaks took a couple of penalties. First Lubomir Dinda went off for boarding with 3:36 left in the period, and it took just 29 seconds for the Americans to cash in -- Hartman led the rush and fed Jack Eichel in front, who fired it low stick side on Richard Sabol.

Sabol himself took the second penalty, when he was forced to cover the puck away from his net after mishandling an attempt to head-man it. He was whistled for delaying the game and the Americans made him pay, with Daniel O'Reagan scoring a buzzer-beater. 

When the Americans made it 3-for-3 on the power play in the 25th minute, it looked like they might run away with the game, as Will Butcher dropped a pass to Hartman, who wired it high blocker side on Sabol to make it 3-0. The Slovakian power play went to work, though.

Captain Milan Kolena was the key to both goals. He scored the first one on a rebound, and on the second one he dug the puck out of some skates, and it was eventually Réway who put in the rebound. 

"That's just the kind of stuff that happens during the ups and downs of the game," Hartman said later of the team's brief lapse. "They got a few good rebounds and that's something we've got to work on. Gillies made some good first saves out there and we've got to help him out and clear those rebounds."

With momentum, it was the Slovaks who came out gunning in the third period, even when shorthanded. First Réway fed Luza and Gillies made a blocker save, then Réway himself went in on a partial break and had Gillies beaten, but fired a backhander high and out of play.

It was the Americans that got the next crucial goal, however, against the run of play. Connor Carrick's shot went wide and re-directed off the end boards and out front the other side. There, Matt Grzelcyk put the puck in as Sabol was moving the wrong way.

After that, the Americans smelled blood and scored two more goals, courtesy of Stefan Matteau and Riley Barber, while Réway scored late for the Slovaks to make it a 6-3 final.

Click here for a play-by-play description of this game.

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