Semifinals matchup set for Thursday
By Jim Christopher
Posted 1/3/18
Once the dust settled with a 4-2 victory for the United States over Russia on Tuesday night, the two semifinal matchups were finally set. In the first game on Thursday, the defending gold medalists United States will be taking on Sweden. In the late game, Canada will face off with the Czech Republic.
United States vs. Sweden
4 p.m. at KeyBank Center
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Led by tournament scoring leader, Casey Mittelstadt (4+6) and Kieffer Bellows who is the current goal scoring leader with six, the United States will match up against defenseman and projected number one overall pick Rasmus Dahlin and a Swedish defensive corps that has only allowed nine goals in five tournament games.
Trailing only Canada in goals allowed, Sweden hasn’t allowed more than three goals in any game so far this tournament. In contrast, aside from their 3-2 defeat at the hands of Slovakia, the United States has scored at least four goals in every game.
With a victory, the United States would clinch a spot in their sixth gold medal game in the program’s history. It would also mark the first time the United States would appear in back-to-back gold medal games.
Sweden, who is a two-time gold medalist, will be looking for their first trip back to the gold medal game since 2014.
Lias Andersson is the current goal-scoring leader for Sweden, boasting five goals in as many games. They have also been receiving goal scoring and defending from each line. By having only one player on the team in the negative for their plus/minus rating, Sweden has shown they can get offensive production and defensive responsibility from all four lines.
Canada vs. Czech Republic
8 p.m. at KeyBank Center
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Looking for an appearance in their 28th gold medal game, Canada has the Cinderella story of the tournament so far, the Czech Republic standing in their way.
Standing behind physical play and complete team efforts from every line, the Czech Republic have blocked shots, won battles in the corner and fought their way to their first semifinal appearance since 2005.
Needing a late-tying goal from Filip Zadina and a shootout victory in their quarterfinal matchup with Finland, the Czech Republic now find themselves one game away from a guaranteed spot on the medal podium. Zadina along with Martin Necas (3+6) and their combined six power play goals have helped the Czech’s and their second-best power play unit on an improbable run to the semifinals.
Canada on the other hand, has relatively breezed their way through the tournament. Aside from their loss to the United States in the outdoor game at New Era Field, Canada’s closest game was a 4-2 victory over Finland. Their other wins were against Slovakia (6-0), Denmark (8-0) and Switzerland (8-2).
One matchup to keep an eye on will be the Canadian power play against the Czech Republic penalty kill. The Czech’s, who have a tournament-high 79 penalty minutes also have a 66.6 penalty kill percentage, third-worst in the tournament.
Canada has made teams pay with the man advantage. Going 10 for 19 with the extra man on the ice, the Czech’s will have to stay out of the box in order to advance to their first gold medal game since 2001.
The 16-time gold medalists have benefitted from the efficient play of defenseman Conor Timmins. Timmins leads tournament play with a plus-12 rating and hasn’t found himself on the ice when his team was scored against.
