BUFFALO, N.Y. – The U.S. Sled National Team earned a hard fought 4-3 victory against Czechia in its final preliminary round game at the 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championship at the LECOM Harborcenter.
With the win, the U.S. wins group B with a perfect 3-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L). Team USA will play in the semifinals on Friday (May 30) against China. Puck drop is slated for 5 p.m. ET and can be viewed live on USAHockeyTV.com. Fans can purchase tickets here.
“It was a game where we really struggled to keep the momentum on our side,” said David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D), head coach of the U.S. National Sled Team. “I do like the character we showed down the stretch, making sure we finished strong and got the win.”
The U.S. jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the first, when David Eustace (Stoneham, Mass.) corralled a cross-ice pass from Travis Dodson (Deming, N.M.). Eustace, who was wide open outside the crease, beat the Czech goaltender to open the game’s scoring.
HIGHLIGHTS
Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) doubled the U.S. lead with 2:35 remaining in the first. Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) forced a turnover in the neutral zone, sliding the puck to Famer, who split the defense at the blue line before roofing a shot in tight over Patrik Sedlacek’s glove.
Team USA, who controlled much of the pace in the first, outshot Czechia 11-2 in the opening frame.
Czechia pulled within one 35 seconds into the second period, when Michal Geier capitalized on a 2-on-1 breakout, wristing a shot past Jen Lee (San Francisco, Calif.).
Wallace reopened a two-goal lead for the U.S., taking the puck coast-to-coast before a bar-down shot gave Team USA a 3-1 advantage with 5:07 remaining in the middle frame.
With just 21 seconds remaining in the second, Farmer tapped in his second of the game opening a 4-1 lead for the U.S. heading into the final 15.
Czechia pulled back within one, scoring two goals in the span of a minute late in the third, but the U.S. held strong to earn the win.
Lee made 11 saves in the winning effort in net.
NOTES: Jack Wallace was named the U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Czechia, 29-14 … The U.S. did not have a power play opportunity, while Czechia was 1-2.
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Source: usahockey.com