BEIJING — The U.S. men's Olympic hockey team was less than a minute away from advancing to the medal round on Wednesday.
But former NHL forward Marek Hrivik scored a rebound goal with 43.7 seconds left in regulation to tie the game for Slovakia against Team USA in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Slovaks had pulled goalie Patrik Rybar for an extra attacker.
We're heading to OT on @USA_Network and @peacockTV.
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 16, 2022
Here's the Slovakia goal with 43.7 remaining. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/tcq0rpJ4iH
The teams played a 10-minute 3-on-3 overtime with neither team scoring. In the shootout, Peter Cehlarik was the lone player to score. The 26-year-old former NHL forward who plays in the KHL was the lone player to score in the four-round shootout.
Team USA's last chance to score in the shootout was by captain Andy Miele, the 2011 Hobey Baker Award winner. But when his attempt was stopped by Rybar, the celebration was on for the Slovaks and the tournament was over for the Americans.
The U.S. took a 2-1 lead on a goal off a rush with a pair of St. Cloud State teammates playing a big role. Senior defenseman Nick Perbix (Elk River) made a pass from the top of a faceoff circle to senior forward Sam Hentges, who caught the pass, spun around and scored at 8:56 of the second period. The other assist on the goal went to Minnesota State University-Mankato junior forward Nathan Smith.
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🚨 🚨 🚨@TeamUSA takes a 2-1 lead against Slovakia on Sam Hentges' first goal of the #WinterOlympics.
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 16, 2022
📺: @USA_Network and @peacockTV
💻: https://t.co/DaRR18atEa pic.twitter.com/ZrfSiue4f9
Team USA tied the game at 1-1 with 45.7 seconds left on a rush that included three passes once the Americans got into the Slovakian zone. Nicholas Abruzzese, a 22-year-old sophomore forward at Harvard, finished off the play with a move and a backhand.
Kenny Agostino, a 29-year-old forward who played collegiately for Yale, started the play with a rush from the U.S. goal line to the bottom of a faceoff circle. He passed the puck to to former Michigan defensman Steve Kampfer. Kampfer found Michigan sophomore forward Matty Beniers, who made a backhand pass to Abruzzese out front for the goal.
🤌🤌🤌#WinterOlympics | #TeamUSA 🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/BTMS6HQ7b6
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 16, 2022
Forward Juraj Slafkovsky, a 17-year-old forward who plays junior hockey in Finland, gave the Slovaks a 1-0 lead with his fifth goal of the Olympics at 11:45 of the first period. Slafkovsky is listed at 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds and is expected to be taken in the first round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
Juraj Slafkovský
— Matěj Hejda (@matej_hejda88) February 16, 2022
Fifth 🚨at #Olympics , big, strong, skilled, very engaged, put himself to scoring position, fun to watch. #nhldraft
pic.twitter.com/bWVpnLIevd
