Slovenian Ice Hockey's Ziga Jeglic to Leave Winter Olympics After Positive Test
Feb 20, 2018
In this photo taken on February 17, 2018 Slovenia's Ziga Jeglic scores the game-winning goal against Slovakia during a penalty-shot shootout in the men's preliminary round ice hockey match between Slovakia and Slovenia during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung.
Slovenian ice hockey player Ziga Jeglic failed a drugs test and has been suspended, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on February 20, 2018, becoming the third doping case at the Pyeongchang Olympics. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)
Slovenian men's ice hockey player Ziga Jeglic has been suspended for the remainder of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, after testing positive for banned substance fenoterol.
Reuters broke the news on Tuesday following the ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with Jeglic accepting the anti-doping violation and having 24 hours to leave the Games.
Jeglic is the third athlete to test positive for a banned substance at Pyeongchang.
Journalist Benjamin Best shared CAS' statement on the matter:
Fenoterol can be used to treat asthma, as it opens up airways to aid in breathing.
Jeglic was a key player for Slovenia and played a vital role in their win over Slovakia on Saturday, per the International Ice Hockey Federation:
WOW! Slovenia #SLO also beats Slovakia #SVK thanks to Ziga Jeglic's shootout goal and finished Group B in 2nd please ahead of Team #USA and #SVK! https://t.co/Azu4FxhusW
The 29-year-old, who accepted the violation after only his "A" sample was tested on Saturday, will learn his fate in regard to sanctions after the conclusion of the Games.
Jeglic plies his trade in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia and has done for the past four years, having spent his entire career in Europe.
Ryan Donato Scores Twice as USA Beats Slovakia in Olympics Hockey 2018
Feb 20, 2018
Ryan Donato (16), of the United States, celebrates his teammates after scoring a goal against Slovakia during the second period of the qualification round of the men's hockey game at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The United States advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2018 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey tournament in Pyeongchang, South Korea, following a 5-1 win over Slovakia in its Monday qualification match.
Ryan Donato scored twice to power the U.S. to the comfortable victory.
Following a scoreless opening period, Slovakia came unraveled in the second.
Donato put the United States ahead one minute, 36 seconds into the second period. It was the third time he scored against Slovakia after being responsible for both of the U.S. goals in a 2-1 win in the preliminary round. NBC Olympics shared a replay of the opening tally:
Not even 30 seconds later, Slovakia shot itself in the foot with a pair of penalties. Ladislav Nagy earned two minutes in the box for interference, and Michal Cajkovsky received a match penalty for a hit on Donato.
The United States didn't take long to capitalize on the two-man advantage, as James Wisniewski scored at the 22:20 mark to put his team ahead 2-0.
Cam Atkinson, Wisniewski's former Columbus Blue Jackets teammate, was happy to see the 33-year-old get on the board:
Mark Arcobello scored the United States' third goal at the 33:30 mark.
Although Troy Terry didn't register a goal during the Americans' second-period blitz, the Denver Post's Mark Kiszla singled him out for praise after the University of Denver star assisted on each of the team's three goals:
US men's hockey team appears destined to advance in knockout round, up 3-0 on Slovakia in 2nd period. And big reason why: Three assists, all beauties by Troy Terry, pride of the #DUPioneers.
Peter Ceresnak stopped the bleeding temporarily for Slovakia to make it 3-1, but Garrett Roe answered back with a goal in the third period to put the United States back into a three-goal lead. NBC Olympics offered a second look at the score, which came off a nice assist by Broc Little:
Donato put the finishing touches on the game with his second goal to put the U.S. ahead 5-1 with 3:14 left.
The United States finished with 33 shots on goal, two fewer than it had in its 2-1 win over Slovakia in the preliminary round, illustrating how lethal the Americans were in front of goal.
Team USA will face off with the Czech Republic in the next round at 10:10 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Although Team USA had its best performance of the 2018 Olympics on Monday, it will have its hands full against the Czech Republic. The Czechs were perfect during the preliminary round, including beating Canada 3-2 in a shootout for Canada's first loss in Olympic hockey since 2010.
Olympic Hockey Schedule 2018: Live Stream for Men, Women's Tuesday Games
Feb 19, 2018
Russia's Alexander Barabanov and US Jordan Greenway vie for the puck in the men's ice hockey preliminary round group B game between the Olympic Athletes from Russia and the United States during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung on February 17, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Ed JONES (Photo credit should read ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images)
Tuesday marks the start of the elimination rounds of men's ice hockey at the 2018 Winter Olympics, as four matches take place in the qualification round at two different venues to set up the four quarterfinals games to be played Wednesday.
The United States participates in the opening game of the qualification round against Slovakia, while powerhouse Finland is also in action.
Over on the women's side, four teams conclude their time in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with the playing of the classification games.
Tuesday Ice Hockey Schedule
Men's Playoff Qualification Round: United States vs. Slovakia (Monday, 11:10 p.m. ET, event takes place on Tuesday in Pyeongchang, South Korea)
Women's Classification Round: Sweden vs. Korea (Monday, 11:10 p.m. ET, event takes place on Tuesday, February 20 in Pyeongchang, South Korea)
Men's Playoff Qualification Round: Slovenia vs. Norway (2:40 a.m. ET)
Women's Classification Round: Switzerland vs. Japan (2:40 a.m. ET)
Men's Playoff Qualification Round: Finland vs. South Korea (7:10 a.m. ET)
Men's Playoff Qualification Round: Switzerland vs. Germany (7:10 a.m. ET)
All games can be live-streamed on NBCOlympics.com.
Men's Elimination Round Gets Underway
The structure of the men's ice hockey tournament sends the top four teams from pool play directly into the quarterfinals, while the teams ranked fifth through 12th compete in the playoff qualification round.
All but one of the contests played on Tuesday at the two ice hockey venues in South Korea carry a high level of intrigue.
The United States and Slovakia open the quartet of games with a rematch of their Group B thriller, while upstart Slovenia follows on the schedule with a clash against Norway.
Slovenia's players celebrate winning the men's preliminary round ice hockey match between Slovakia and Slovenia during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung on February 17, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Frank
Switzerland and Germany face off in one of the two Tuesday morning games, with the other expected to be a rout by Finland over South Korea.
Sweden, Czech Republic, Olympic Athletes from Russia and Canada await the winners in the quarterfinal round, which is where the true medal contenders are expected to emerge.
Of the eight qualification-round participants, Finland is the only one that appears to have a legitimate chance to earn a medal given the way its played.
However, the United States and Slovenia have given us glimpses of their top-level play, and if that comes to fruition in the qualification round, it could lead to an upset of one of the top four seeds in the quarterfinals.
If you're looking for an underdog to root for Tuesday, look for Slovakia to push the United States to its limits after the two teams played in a tight affair in the second game of Group B action.
Sweden, Switzerland Hoping to Finish Women's Tournament With Victories
Sweden and Switzerland experienced disappointing showings in the women's quarterfinals, but they still have an opportunity to leave Pyeongchang on a high note.
The two European nations are heavy favorites to knock off Japan and the unified Korea team, respectively, to take home fifth and sixth place.
Sweden, who fell to Finland in its first knockout-round game, hasn't earned a medal since losing the gold-medal game to Canada in Turin in 2006.
Switzerland's performance in Pyeongchang may be deemed the most disappointing of them all as it was coming off a bronze in Sochi.
The Swiss exploded for 13 goals in pool play against Sweden, Japan and Korea, but they fell victim to a scoring outburst by the Russians in a 6-2 quarterfinal loss.
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 17: Alina Muller #25 of Switzerland celebrates after scoring a goal in the second period against Olympic Athlete from Russia during the Ice Hockey Women's Play-offs Quarterfinals on day eight of the PyeongChang 2018 Wint
While both favorites should score a bevy of goals in Tuesday's games, look for the Swiss to record more, as they have two of the top scorers in the women's tournament in Alina Muller and Lara Stalder.
Muller and Stalder accounted for 10 of Switzerland's 15 goals, while Christine Meier has assisted on more than half of the team's tallies.
Sweden's biggest goal for Tuesday should be putting together a solid defensive performance after giving up seven goals to Finland in the quarterfinals.
Finland vs. South Korea Hockey Live-Stream Schedule, Odds
Feb 19, 2018
Sami Lepisto (18), of Finland, celebrates a goal with Eeli Tolvanen (20) and Teemu Hartikainen (70) during the third period of the preliminary round of the men's hockey game against Norway at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
One of the most lopsided ice hockey games at the 2018 Winter Olympics should occur Tuesday morning at the Gangneung Hockey Center.
Finland takes on South Korea in one of four men's qualification playoff games, from which the winners advance to the quarterfinals.
Unfortunately for the host nation, its hockey team will meet its end against fifth-seeded Finland after failing to earn a point in three group-stage games.
For Finland, Tuesday's game will serve as a final tune-up before a showdown with Canada in the quarterfinals and a potential rematch against Sweden in the semifinals.
Date: Tuesday, February 20
Time: 7:10 a.m. ET
Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com
Odds to win tournament, per OddsShark: Finland +800 (bet $100 to win $800), South Korea +25,000
Finland Expected to Dominate on Way to Quarterfinals
Finland should have the victory locked up by the end of the first period, if not sooner, if it plays to its potential.
The only question surrounding Tuesday's game is how much the Finns will win by in what is serving as a warm-up for the tests ahead in the elimination round.
Finland ended up one point short of the final automatic berth into the quarterfinals, which was handed out to Canada as the top second-placed team from pool play.
Finland's Joonas Kemppainen (R) celebrates scoring with teammate Miika Koivisto in the men's preliminary round ice hockey match between Sweden and Finland during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung on Febru
Ten goals in its first two games propelled Finland to a high seed in the elimination round regardless of what its result with Sweden was.
The Swedes got the best of their Scandinavian rival Sunday, but a rematch could be in the cards for both teams if Finland gets past Canada in the quarterfinals.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, Finland still has to show up and play 60 minutes versus a South Korean side that will be playing for pride.
The key for the Finns Tuesday is to get back to their goalscoring ways after netting a single tally in the defeat to Sweden.
Look for Eeli Tolvanen to once again be at the forefront of the Finnish attack; he's recorded three goals and three assists in Pyeongchang.
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 16: Lars Haugen of Norway and Eeli Tolvanen of Finland during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary game between Finland and Norway at Gangneung Hockey Centre on February 16, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Jean Cat
Sami Lepisto should receive plenty of opportunities to add to his two goals and two assists as well during a game in which a number of Finns could find the back of the net.
Not only does Tuesday serve as a bounce-back game for the Finns, but it should also provide a confidence boost for the players on the third and fourth lines, as they will create significantly more scoring chances than they would against any other opponent.
South Korea Playing for Pride
There's no pleasant way to describe South Korea's experience in men's ice hockey at this year's Games.
The host nation was the only team not to record a point in pool play, and it conceded a tournament-high 14 combined goals to the Czech Republic, Canada and Switzerland.
South Korea's lone goal of the competition came in the opening period of the 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic by way of Cho Min-ho.
The host nation's top objective for Tuesday is to break its eight-period goal drought. In addition to scoring, South Korea should try to match the Finns' shift-for-shift production for as long as it can.
Switzerland's Denis Hollenstein (L) vies with South Korea's Minho Cho during the final period of a men's preliminary round ice hockey match between South Korea and Switzerland during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Hockey Centre
Outside of those two tasks, South Korea will play for pride as a passionate fanbase cheers it on in what will be its final appearance at the Olympics.
While the home-ice advantage won't propel the South Koreans to victory, it should help them keep the game relatively close. The team will want to give the fans something to be proud about before the attention shifts to sports such as short-track speedskating, in which the country is more successful.
US Olympic Hockey Team 2018: Updated Predictions for Men's Team
Feb 19, 2018
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 17: Bric Little of United States and Vasili Koshechkin of OAR during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round between USA and Olympic Athletes from Russia at Gangneung Hockey Centre on February 17, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Group play wasn't kind to the United States ice hockey team at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The squad lost to Slovenia in overtime, was blown out by the Olympic Athletes from Russia and eked out a 2-1 win over Slovakia.
That doesn't mean the United States is out of medal contention. Far from it. But it does mean the team has quite the uphill battle in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
First is a rematch with Slovakia on Tuesday. Win that, and the United States will take on the Czech Republic the next day, a team that has yet to lose in this tournament (two wins, one overtime win). Win that, and the U.S. will find themselves in the semifinals, where winning one of two games will guarantee a medal.
But here's the thing. Barring a pretty huge upset, the United States' opponent in the semifinals will be the Russian team, which already beat the Americans, 4-0, and is 2-1 in total. Lose that, and the U.S. will likely face either Canada or Sweden for a bronze medal. Sweden is a perfect 3-0. Canada has two wins and an overtime loss.
The United States will be favored to beat Slovakia. But the team will be underdogs against the Czechs and against the Russians. Team USA will be underdogs if it faces either Sweden or Canada and even Finland, should the Finnish pull off an upset over Canada in the quarterfinals.
A medal for the United States, at this point, is a longshot. Consider the goal differential of the teams remaining in the tournament:
OAR: +9
Sweden: +7
Canada: +7
Finland: +5
Czech Republic: +5
Switzerland: +1
Slovakia: -1
Germany: -3
Slovenia: -4
United States: -4
Norway: -9
Republic of Korea: -13
Could this team go all Miracle on Ice and shock the world? Maybe. But honestly, probably not.
The Russians have former NHL stars like Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk leading the way, and the entire roster hails from the Kontinental Hockey League, arguably the second best league in the world behind the NHL.
The Swedes, meanwhile, have 11 KHL players and a future NHL superstar in 17-year-old Rasmus Dahlin. Canada has a greater number of former NHL talents. The Czechs are loaded with KHL players.
Outside of Canada, no team was hurt more by the NHL's decision to not participate in the Pyeongchang games than the United States—a decision that remains unpopular with fans of the sport:
If the NHL wants to continue to grow Hockey in the US, sending anything less than the BEST American players is not a good strategy. League blew this one big time.
You can’t even be mad at these US players. I’m kind of mad at USA Hockey for not picking better players, but mostly I’m just mad at the NHL for ruining this whole tournament.
It was certainly evident in the group stage that the Americans are on the outside looking in when it comes to the medal chase. So, what is the official prediction for the U.S.?
The team will beat Slovakia for a second time before losing to the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals, failing to medal at these games. There will be no miracles for the United States on the Pyeongchang ice.
As for the overall tournament, look for the Russian team to win gold, Sweden silver and Canada bronze.
Olympic Hockey 2018: USA vs. Canada Gold-Medal Game Set After Semifinal Results
Feb 19, 2018
Marie-Philip Poulin (29), of Canada, celebrates with her teammates after scoring a goal against the team from Russia during the second period of the semifinal round of the women's hockey game at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
For the fifth time in the six Olympics that have included women's hockey, the United States and Canada will meet for the gold medal.
On Sunday (Monday in South Korea) at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Team USA shut out Finland 5-0 in the first semifinal, and Canada then scored a 5-0 win over the Olympic Athletes from Russia on Monday.
Canada beat the United States 2-1 when the teams met in the group stage, and the Canadians have beaten the Americans for gold in each of the past two Olympics.
Before Team USA takes its shot at redemption, here is a look at how the United States and Canada qualified for the gold-medal game.
USA 5, Finland 0
The United States dominated Finland from start to finish en route to clinching at least a silver medal.
The Americans scored two goals in each of the first two periods before Dani Cameranesi's second marker put the game away in the third.
Gigi Marvin opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game, as seen in this video courtesy of NBC Olympics:
Cameranesi added another goal with just over one minute remaining in the first period, and Finland never threatened.
The Americans peppered the Finns with 38 shots and allowed only 14. Finland's Noora Raty is the winningest goaltender in Olympic history, but she received little support from her teammates.
Meanwhile, United States goalie Maddie Rooney stonewalled the opposition.
Tim McNiff of KARE 11 believes the Americans are hitting their stride at the perfect time:
Just watched the @TeamUSA women’s hockey team beat Finland 5-0 to earn a spot in the Gold Medal game. The American women are playing their best hockey of the tournament right now, putting Team USA right where they want to be heading into the championship game. pic.twitter.com/CaNo5JmgaO
While the Americans fell to the Canadians in their first meeting at these Olympics, Team USA carried the play for much of that game. The United States outshot Canada 45-23, and it took a superhuman effort by Canadian goalie Genevieve Lacasse to preserve the win.
Losing a game in that manner can be demoralizing, but the Americans showed no ill effects in the semifinals, and they seem well prepared to make a run at their first Olympic gold medal since the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.
Canada 5, Olympic Athletes from Russia 0
Canada outclassed the Olympic Athletes from Russia to punch its ticket to the gold-medal game.
The Canadians led just 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 after the second, but they took control of the game in the third and squashed any hopes of a Russian comeback.
Canada outshot OAR 47-14 with 22 of those attempts coming in the third period.
With Team Canada buzzing throughout the third frame, Paul Pabst of The Dan Patrick Show had a simplistic take on the game:
OAR had hope entering the third period, but Canada needed only a few minutes to put the game out of reach. Jennifer Wakefield scored her second goal of the contest less than two minutes into the third period, and Emily Clark notched a goal just 31 seconds later.
As the CBC's Andrew Foote pointed out, Canada essentially ended the game in the blink of an eye:
In the time it took for the Canadian bobsled run (not much time) Canada's women's team scored twice on OAR. It's 4-0.
Team Canada has overwhelmed its opponents with quick-strike scoring thanks to depth and talent at all levels. That wasn't the case against Team USA, though, and the final is shaping up to be a classic between the evenly matched teams.
Canada will have the chance to win its fifth consecutive gold medal, while the United States could end a 20-year drought. The teams mirrored each other in their semifinal matchups, and there is reason to believe their clash for gold late Wednesday night (Thursday in South Korea) will come down to the wire just like it did four years ago in Sochi, Russia, where the Canadiens staged a late two-goal comeback and won 3-2 in overtime.
Slovenia vs. Norway: Hockey Live-Stream Schedule, Odds
Feb 19, 2018
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 16: Jan Mursak of Slovenia celebrates his goal with teammates during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group B game between Olympic Athletes from Russia and Slovenia at Gangneung Hockey Centre on February 16, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Slovenia is writing one of the top underdog stories at the 2018 Winter Olympics in men's hockey.
The small central European nation finished second in Group B after unlikely victories over the United States and Slovakia.
Thanks to their incredible performances in pool play, the Slovenians earned the sixth seed in the elimination round and a contest against Norway Tuesday, with the right to play the Olympic Athletes from Russia in the quarterfinals on the line.
Norway struggled to gain traction in Group C, as it placed fourth with one point in a group that contained Sweden, Finland and Germany.
Tuesday's clash between two of the least talented teams in the Olympic tournament should be an entertaining affair despite the presence of the dominant Russians looming in the quarterfinals.
Date: Tuesday, February 20
Time: 2:40 a.m. ET
Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com
Odds to win tournament (per OddsShark): Norway +10,000 (bet $100 to win $10,000, Slovenia +25,000
Slovenia Attempting to Continue Miraculous Olympic Run
Slovenia entered the Olympics with the joint-worst odds to win the tournament.
Although they almost certainly won't win the gold, the Slovenians have exceeded expectations in South Korea with a roster lacking a true star.
Even if the NHL players were allowed to participate in Pyeongchang, Slovenia's roster would have been at a major disadvantage given Anze Kopitar is the only NHL star from the country.
Jan Mursak, who played in the Detroit Red Wings organization from 2007 until 2013, is the most recognizable name on a roster made up of players from a few different European leagues.
Mursak scored twice against the U.S. and recorded assists on two of his team's goals in the shootout win over Slovakia to close pool play.
Outside of Mursak, the Slovenians have a few players worth watching, including forwards Ziga Pance and Jan Urbas, who were the most dangerous forwards against Slovakia, with four shots each.
Defenseman Sabahudin Kovacevic, who played a key role in attack in the shootout win to conclude pool play, with five shots on goal, is another athlete to watch in a game without a household name on either roster.
While Slovenia's attack has shown well in Pyeongchang, its defense has been far from perfect. It's conceded the second-most goals of any team at the Olympics, with 12.
Luckily for Slovenia, its defense won't have to win the team the game. Given Norway's poor defensive record from pool play—the Scandinavians conceded 11 goals in Group C—we could be treated to a high-scoring game.
Norway Attempting to Take a Positive from Tournament
It's hard to conjure up a positive remark about the Norwegians' play at the Olympics.
Norway placed fourth in Group C and earned one point by way of a shootout defeat to Germany.
If the Scandinavian nation has any confidence entering Tuesday, it's from the loss to the Germans since it was competitive in that game.
While Slovenia has been able to counter its poor defensive showing with goals, Norway hasn't been able to do so, notching two goals in 185 minutes of hockey.
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 16: Patrick Thoresen #41 of Norway celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal on Mikko Koskinen #19 of Finland in the first period during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group C game at Gangneung Hockey Centre
Despite their poor play during the first week of the competition, the Norwegians have a shot to win an elimination-round game against a team with an equal amount of talent on its roster.
University of North Dakota forward Ludvig Hoff is one of the notable names on Norway's roster. Like Slovenia's, it is made up of players from numerous European leagues.
Patrick Thoresen, who is the only KHL player in the Norway squad, scored the team's first goal of the tournament in a 5-1 loss to Finland, while Alexander Reichenberg netted against Germany.
Thoresen and Reichenberg should occupy the Slovenia defense's attention, and if they find the back of the net early, Norway's first victory in South Korea could be in the cards.
Norway and Slovenia should have the same go-for-broke approach to the game since a clash, and a potential blowout loss, to the Russians is next on the schedule for the victorious team.
USA vs. Slovakia: Hockey Live-Stream Schedule, Odds
Feb 19, 2018
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 16: Ryan Donato #16 of the United States and Dominik Granak #51 of Slovakia go for the puck during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group B game at Gangneung Hockey Centre on February 16, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The United States men's hockey team got thrown into the worst possible situation for the start of the elimination round at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Following their 4-0 defeat to the Olympic Athletes from Russia at the end of pool play, the Americans drew the seventh seed and consequently a rematch with 10th-seeded Slovakia Monday night.
The Americans were pushed to the limit by Slovakia in their second game in Pyeongchang, South Korea before pulling out the victory by way of Ryan Donato's game-winning goal.
Now the familiar foes are set to face off for the second time in four games with a showdown against the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals on the line.
Date: Monday, February 19 (game takes place Tuesday in Pyeongchang)
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com
Odds to win tournament (per OddsShark): United States +900 (bet $100 to win $900), Slovakia +6,600
Americans Must Bounce Back from Loss to Olympic Athletes from Russia
With first place in Group B on the line, the United States stumbled to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Olympic Athletes from Russia and ended up third in the four-team group.
The United States finished level on points with Slovenia and Slovakia, taking third based off head-to-head results.
As the top third-placed team in pool play, the U.S. received the No. 7 seed and are thus a massive underdog to win the tournament.
The few bits of good news created by an American roster chock-full of college and AHL players came from the victory over Slovakia, but that result didn't create any momentum ahead of the clash with the Russians, who are one of the favorites to top the podium.
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 16: United States celebrates after Ryan Donato #16 of the United States scores for the second time against Slovakia during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group B game at Gangneung Hockey Centre on February 16, 20
Donato and Jordan Greenway were the top performers in the group-stage showdown with Slovakia, as the former scored twice and the latter sent four shots in the direction of the Slovakian net.
Both players will be relied upon Monday night to create a bevy of scoring opportunities as the Americans attempt to get off to a fast start and put the loss to the Russians behind them.
Defensively, the Americans should focus on silencing Ladislav Nagy and Michal Cajkovsky, who combined for seven of Slovakia's 22 shots in the first meeting between the two sides.
Goalie Ryan Zapolski must have his best game of the tournament in every contest from here on out in order for the U.S. to make an unlikely surge into the medal round.
Despite conceding on four occasions to the Russians, United States head coach Tony Granato expressed his faith in Zapolski, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press:
Asked Tony Granato if there's any hesitation about sticking with Ryan Zapolski for qualification round. He shook his head. "He's our goalie."
On paper, the United States should advance to the quarterfinals, but as we have seen in this tournament, anything is possible.
Upset-Minded Slovakia in Search of Revenge
Slovakia captured the hockey world's attention with its victory over the Olympic Athletes from Russia, but that result ended up helping it little in terms of confidence and seeding for the elimination round.
Following the triumph over the Russians, Slovakia fell to the United States and to Slovenia in a shootout.
With another opportunity to shine in the competition because of the Olympic format, which gives all 12 teams an opportunity to qualify for the elimination round, the Slovaks should make the best of it and give the Americans a challenge for 60 minutes.
Slovakia's Michal Cajkovsky (L) and USA's Chad Kolarik fight for the puck in the men's preliminary round ice hockey match between the US and Slovakia during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung on February
Slovakia differs from the other European nations in the tournament because it possesses a North American head coach in Craig Ramsay, who has combined well with general manager Miroslav Satan to build a hungry squad.
The talent on the Slovakian roster is comparable to that of the United States since it has one player from the KHL, with the rest coming from the Czech and Slovakian leagues.
Cajkovsky, who plays for Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg in the KHL, is looking to cause confusion in the American defense from the point, while a group of talented attackers, led by Nagy and captain Tomas Surovy, swarms the net.
Each of Slovakia's six goals has been scored by a different player, as Milos Bubela, Marcel Hascak, Andrej Kudrna, Peter Ceresnak, Martin Bakos and Peter Olvecky have beaten an opposing goalkeeper.
Slovakia's Milos Bubela (L) is congratulated by teammates after scoring in the men's preliminary round ice hockey match between Slovakia and Slovenia during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung on February 1
That statistic is a perfect example of what Slovakia brings to the table. The Slovaks work well as a unit but don't boast a superstar difference-maker. That can be said about the U.S. as well.
An unlikely hero could emerge from anywhere Monday night for Slovakia, which will use its familiarity with the Americans and its nothing-to-lose mentality to play a loose game.
USA Advances to Women's Olympics Hockey 2018 Final with Win vs. Finland
Feb 19, 2018
US Danielle Cameranesi (R) celebrates after scoring a goal in the women's ice hockey semifinal game between the United States and Finland during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung on February 19, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / JUNG Yeon-Je (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)
Team USA is on to the women's hockey final at the 2018 Winter Olympics after earning a 5-0 win over Finland in the semifinals.
Danielle Cameranesi had two goals and an assist, while Maddie Rooney managed a shutout in net to complete an easy victory Monday in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The United States is now one win away from a gold medal, either getting a chance to avenge the earlier loss to Canada or grab another big win over the Olympic Athletes from Russia.
Finland reached this point with a win over Sweden in the quarterfinals, while the United States got an automatic bye to the semifinals after finishing second in Group A. Either the extra rest or simply the difference in talent allowed this to be a one-sided affair throughout.
In addition to the five-goal margin, the favorites outshot their opponent 38-14. The Americans maintained possession much of the night and stayed on the attack, resulting in what could have been an even larger blowout.
Team USA jumped out to a great start when Gigi Marvin scored less than three minutes into the game:
After a pair of penalty kills from each side in a busy first period, the Americans added to their lead on an unassisted goal by Cameranesi after stealing a pass in the offensive zone.
NBC hockey analyst Pierre McGuire was also impressed by the sniped shot from the forward:
"That is a goal in any league. What a shot. What a play." -- Pierre McGuire on Dani Cameranesi's goal to give @TeamUSA a 2-0 lead over Finland.
Finland only had two shots on goal in the first period and seemed more overmatched than even the 2-0 score indicated.
The squad then pulled away in the second period on the strength of back-to-back power-play goals in less than a minute. Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Hilary Knight each scored goals in this stretch, extending the lead to 4-0.
Wayne Drehs of ESPN.com provided a breakdown of the play to that point:
Total and utter domination here at the Gangneung Hockey Center, where the US women have scored twice in a span of 34 seconds to take a commanding 4-0 lead over Finland in their Olympic semifinal. Jocelyn Lamoureux-Davidson scored first on a howitzer... https://t.co/BpBJL1roPl
Cameranesi continued the onslaught with her second goal of the game in the third period, this time off a power play.
The United States' kept the pressure on from there, preventing its opponent from getting any legitimate chances at the net.
Finland will move on to the consolation game with a chance to earn its third bronze medal in history, having never advanced to the final.
This will be the fifth time in six previous Olympic Games that Team USA has reached the final, although it only has one gold medal to show for it, coming in 1998. The squad will now take on the winner of Canada vs. the Olympic Athletes from Russia in the gold-medal game Wednesday at 11:10 p.m. ET (Thursday in Pyeongchang).
Olympic Hockey Results 2018: Canada Tops Sunday's Scores
Feb 18, 2018
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 18: Gilbert Brule #7 of Canada celebrates after scoring a goal against Matt Dalton #1 of Korea in the third period during the Men's Ice Hockey Preliminary Round Group A game on day nine of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Hockey Centre on February 18, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The preliminary rounds of the men's ice hockey tournament are set to wrap up Sunday at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with the women's tournament getting play started in the fifth-round bracket.
Many eyes were on Canada's clash with South Korea. A win for Canada would mean advancing to the quarterfinals as the top second-place finisher. A loss, however, would leave the Canadians with a much tougher road to winning their third straight Olympic gold.
Below are the results from Sunday's games.
Men's Tournament
Germany Beats Norway 2-1
Germany earned its first victory of the 2018 Olympics after beating Norway in a shootout.
Danny aus den Birken was big for the Germans. Not only did he make 28 saves during regulation, but he also stonewalled Norway's Alexander Reichenberg and Mathis Olimb in the shootout.
"Even to have an interview at the Olympics is awesome," the 33-year-old goaltender said after the game, per the Associated Press (via NBCOlympics.com). "Everything I do here is just great."
Patrick Hager drew first blood for Germany on the power play in the second period before Reichenberg tied the game in the third.
Norway's finishing touch was seriously lacking in the shootout. In addition to Aus den Birken's two saves, Anders Bastiansen missed the team's first shot off the post. Hager, Matthias Plachta and Dominik Kahun, meanwhile, all scored for Germany.
Czech Republic Beats Switzerland 4-1
The Czech Republic locked up first place in Group A.
The final score belies how close this game was. The teams remained tied heading into the final period after Michal Repik got the Czech Republic on the board and Thomas Rufenacht leveled the score later in the opening frame.
The Czechs then exploded with three goals in the third period, the final two of which came after Switzerland pulled goaltender Jonas Hiller.
Dominik Kubalik gave the Czech Republic the lead 3:02 into the third period, and the pair of Repik and Roman Cervenka added two insurance goals inside the final two minutes.
Canada Beats South Korea 4-0
Canada rolled over host South Korea, securing a quarterfinal berth. Christian Thomas, Eric O'Dell, Maxim Lapierre and Gilbert Brule all scored for Canada.
TSN's Dan O'Toole noted South Korea had a clear home-ice advantage inside the Gangneung Hockey Centre:
In the arena for this Canada/Korea game. If Korea scores, you will be able to hear the crowd from your living room in Canada without the need of a TV. Never heard anything like it.
However, that wasn't enough to give South Korea what would've been its first win of the tournament.
While the team scored four goals, the Toronto Sun's Rob Longley wasn't impressed by Canada's overall performance:
Final at Gangneung: Canada 4, South Korea 0. Win will advance them to the quarter finals but it may have been least impressive game so for for defending champs.
After two periods, Canada led 2-0. Lapierre gave the Canadians a three-goal lead 3:43 into the third period before Brule's power-play tally with 1:58 remaining.
One could argue Canada should've put more past South Korea goaltender Matt Dalton based on its shot total (49). Still, scoring four goals and keeping a shutout in the Olympics is a good result any way you shake it out.
As long as Canada reclaims gold, few will remember how the team played in the preliminary round.
Sweden Beats Finland 3-1
Sweden earned first place in Group C after beating Finland.
The game remained tied entering the third period. Anton Lander got Sweden on the board first at the 14:53 mark of the opening period, and Joonas Kemppainen answered back for Finland in the second.
Patrik Zackrisson put the Swedes ahead 8:53 into the third period before Oscar Moller scored an insurance goal in the final minute after Finland pulled goalie Mikko Koskinen.
In what's likely to continue to be a contentious issue for coach Rikard Gronborg, Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was a healthy scratch. Despite being one of the top prospects in the 2018 NHL draft, Dahlin has seen limited minutes in the 2018 Olympics.
Women's Tournament
Switzerland Beats Korea 2-0
Switzerland will play for fifth place after beating Korea.
Korea was somewhat fortunate to lose by only two goals, considering Switzerland owned a 53-19 advantage in shots on goal. In the first period alone, the Swiss had as many shots as Korea did over the entire game.
The Associated Press' Teresa Walker thought Korea goaltender Shin So Jung was single-handedly keeping the unified Korean team in the game:
Shin So Jung is on fire in net today for Korea. She's made 31 saves and Switzerland leads only 1-0 late in 2nd period. Murray has said Korea wants a win in this tournament. Shin giving them a chance.
Ultimately, Shin's heroics couldn't alter the outcome. Sabrina Zollinger scored first for Switzerland to put the team ahead 16:35 into the first period, and Evelina Raselli added a second at the 38:52 mark of the second.
Japan Beats Sweden 2-1
Japan will meet Switzerland in the fifth-place game, as Ayaka Toko scored the winner in the fourth minute of overtime.
The result represented a measure of revenge for Japan, which lost 2-1 to Sweden in the opening game of the preliminary round.
Shiori Koike and Lisa Johansson exchanged second-period goals to keep the score tied.
Both goaltenders—Nana Fujimoto for Japan and Sara Grahn for Sweden—performed well, with the former stepping up in the third period to prevent Sweden from taking the lead. Fujimoto reacted quickly to get a pad on Johanna Olofsson's shot.
By beating Sweden, Japan now has an opportunity to register its highest-ever finish in women's ice hockey at the Olympics. The Japanese placed sixth at the inaugural women's tournament in 1998 and then seventh in a return trip at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
