SURPRISE ENDING IN BEIJING
Americans give up late lead, blanked in shootout
BEIJING — The “Miracle On Ice” comparisons were never fair, or even close to being historically accurate, but the U.S. men’s hockey team would be competing for a medal at the Beijing Olympics. Fifteen college players and a handful of veterans banding together for two weeks to stand on the podium, regardless of the medal’s color, was something everyone could root for.
In Wednesday’s quarterfinals against Slovakia, the Americans were less than a minute away from giving themselves that chance. And then disaster struck.
Marek Hrivik tied the game for Slovakia, which pulled the goaltender for a 6-on-5 advantage, with 43.7 seconds left in regulation. During the 10-minute, sudden-death 3-on-3 overtime, the U.S. came up empty on chance after chance. That continued in the shootout. An 0-for-5 showing against Slovakia goaltender Patrik Rybar doomed the U.S., which fell 3-2 after Slovakia needed only one make on American goaltender Strauss Mann (34 saves) to advance to the semifinals.
“We really feel like we had a lot more in us than just the quarters,” said Mann, 23. “I’m sure everyone watching feels that as well.
“It was probably the biggest honor of my life to represent our country on the Olympic stage and just be a part of something bigger than hockey.”
“This was kind of our first bad game,” forward Ben Meyers said. “Now we’re done.”
Sam Hentges gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead with 11:04 to go in the second period. The score stayed there until Hrivik’s heroics, as his shot off a bouncing puck sneaked past Mann. It was the second straight game the U.S. yielded a goal inside the final minute while defending a 6-on-5. The Americans survived against Germany, though, because of an insurance goal in their back pocket. They came up empty in that pursuit over the final 31 minutes Wednesday, with ample opportunities in the third period — including 83 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage.
“Really, that was the game-changer” U.S. coach David Quinn said.
The penalty kill gave Slovakia hope, Quinn added. Addressing the overtime, he said the U.S. scrimmaged 3-on-3 in practice the day before playing Slovakia and figured it would favor his speedy squad.
“It was, I thought, our opportunity to put the game away,” Quinn said. “We just weren’t able to capitalize on our chances.”
Matty Beniers, a University of Michigan standout and the second overall pick in last year’s NHL draft by the Seattle Kraken, nearly won it twice for the U.S. on a pair of overtime chances.
“We were kind of made for 3-on-3 hockey,” Beniers said. “I think we dominated it, and their goalie made some huge saves, so what can you do?”
Conspicuously missing from the U.S. shootout lineup was Beniers, although Quinn — claiming the U.S. practiced shootouts at every practice in China — said he was considered. The quintet of Brendan Brisson, Sean Farrell, Matt Knies, Nathan Smith and captain Andy Miele failed to get a puck past Rybar.
“We were actually joking, we still haven’t lost a game,” Quinn said. “We just lost a shootout.”
On the other end, Mann matched Rybar through the first three rounds of the skills competition. Slovakian forward Peter Cehlarik skated toward him in Round 4, and Mann thought he read Cehlarik’s move perfectly. He didn’t feel the puck hit his body. Then he didn’t hear the sound of the boards, meaning the puck was in his net.
“It’s a game of inches,” Mann said. “I know everyone in our locker room gave it their all. Props to [Slovakia]. They battled hard.”
Rybar rejected Miele, the last hope for the U.S., and Slovakia spilled over the boards in rejoice while the Americans sat stunned. After the game, Miele wiped away tears.
“It’s something further down the line I’ll be able to appreciate a little bit more,” forward Kenny Agostino said, his eyes welling up too.
The U.S. fell behind for the third straight game when 17-year-old Slovakian phenom Juraj Slafkovsky, a potential top-10 pick in this summer’s NHL draft, scored his tournament-leading fifth goal in the first period. The defense failed to clear a puck along the boards, and the mistake proved costly for the U.S. Peter Ceresnak found a wide-open Slafkovsky in the slot, and he lined up a wrist-shot past Mann’s glove.
Nick Abruzzese provided the answer for the Americans with 45.7 seconds to go in the first period. Agostino raced up the ice and dished the puck to Steven Kampfer, who fed it to a streaking Beniers for a two-onone with Abruzzese. The Harvard forward equalized.
Slovakia coach Craig Ramsay thought the U.S. would run his team out of the rink in the first period.
“They were so fast. The defense was involved and we just said, ‘Hey, get through it. Fight through it. Weather the storm.’ And away we [went],” Ramsay said.
Slovakia started to get shots and have chances. Although it lost the lead in the second period, it outshot the U.S. 13-6. Then came the pivotal penalty kills in the third and the clutch goaltending from Rybar.
Canada lost its quarterfinal game 2-0 to Sweden. It’s the first Olympic semifinals without the U.S. and Canada since 2006.