The Americans came out flat against Denmark whom they aren’t very familiar with allowing two goals in the first period, Matt Boldy being the only one to keep USA in the game that period. Being down 1-2 in the 1st intermission didn’t sit well with Captain Austin Matthews and his teammates. Whatever was said in that locker room needed to be said, and it showed.
The US opened the 2nd period on a three-goal streak, initiated with a goal by Brady Tkachuk snagging the puck from Jack Eichel on a faceoff tying the game at 2-2. Immediately after, Jack Eichel won another faceoff from the other dot, got the puck right back and fired a nasty wrister to take the lead.
Before the end of the 2nd period, Noah Hanifin caught the goaltender slipping and rifled a sneaky snipe, putting the US two goals ahead. Denmark’s defenseman Phillip Bruggisser answered back with a goal of his own but was the last time Denmark was able to create anything offensively for the rest of the game.
The 3rd period was the “Jack & Jack Show”. Guentzel and Hughes closed out the game with two goals, while the “US Department of Defense” shut down Denmark for the remainder fo the contest, outshooting the Danes 47-21.
Team USA has outscored their last three opponents 16-4 and will face off against the Germans tomorrow with the mission to end the week undefeated and a seed spot behind Team Canada.
Dante Robinson | Senior PWHL Analyst for The NSR Network
