A solid performance in Tampere ensured that the USA would have no major concerns with the Czech Republic in their quarter-final after the group victory before the Three Crowns. It took until just over twelve minutes had been played in the first period before the first goal of the match came, when Matt Coronato outwitted Karel Vejmelka.
With ten minutes left in the game, Cutter Gauthier hammered the final nail in the coffin when he dotted right to make it 3-0 after a won draw in the offensive zone.
For the USA, the lowest-ranked team now awaits as the playoffs enter the semifinal phase.
And the lowest-ranked team, regardless of the outcome in the two late quarter-finals, will be Germany, a Germany that finished fourth in the group and thus faced group winners Switzerland in Riga. And it was Germany that emerged victorious from the battle.
After a German goal in the first period, Switzerland equalized just 47 seconds into the second period, but thanks to two goals in a span of 36 seconds at the end of the period, Germany was able to turn back and hold on to the two-goal lead. When the final whistle sounded, the German victory was a fact, despite losing star defender Mortiz Seider midway through the second period after being awarded a match penalty.
This afternoon’s result means that the USA will be pitted against Germany in one of the semi-finals, while the winners of the Tre Kronor–Latvia and Finland–Canada matches will face each other.
USA–Czech Republic 3–0 (1–0, 1–0, 1–0)
Target, USA: Matt Coronato, Matt Perbix, Cutter Gauthier
Shot: 34–15 (11–2, 14–9, 9–14)
Switzerland–Germany 1–3 (0–1, 1–2, 0–0)
Goal, SCH: Jonas Siegenthaler
Goals, TYS: Maximilian Kastner, John-Jason Peterka, Nico Sturm
Shot: 30–23 (12–10, 9–9, 9–4)
Tags: USA Germany face semifinals
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