GOTHENBURG, Sweden -- Isaac Howard (TBL) scored in the seventh round of a dramatic shootout to give the U.S. a win over Czechia in the tensest game of the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship to date. The Americans skated off the ice with two points and sit in second place in Group B heading into their final game of the preliminary round.

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Team USA can tip their hats to their goaltender as Jacob Fowler (MTL) stood tall in the shootout, stopping six of seven shooters to help secure the win.

WE LIKE IKE!
Isaac Howard wins it for #TeamUSA in the shootout!#WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/OPoOBxpK1c

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 29, 2023

The U.S. had a bit of a rocky start to the day as goaltender Trey Augustine (DET) and defenseman Seamus Casey (NJD) had both fallen ill, making them unavailable for the game. USA played with six healthy defenseman and pressed Fowler into a back-to-back situation, which may not have been the original plan.

Despite the roster constraints, the Americans got started early once again, scoring on their first shot of the game when Frank Nazar (CHI) found Isaac Howard (TBL) on a two-on-one. 

Team USA continued to pour on the pressure, but Michael Hrabal (ARI) stood tall in net and the Czechs took advantage of a defensive miscue to knot the score before the first intermission. 

In the second period, Czechia controlled play much more than they were able to manage in the first. In fact, they out-shot the U.S. int he period 12-9. They also took the lead twice, but Team USA continued to find ways to claw back. The first goal came off of a sensational play from the Boston College line of Gabe Perreault (NYR), Ryan Leonard (WSH) and WIll Smith (SJS). 

Will Smith (SJS) from Ryan Leonard (WSH) and Gabe Perreault (NYR) to tie this one up again, just like they drew it up 😎
The @BC_MHockey line is working its magic for #TeamUSA 🇺🇸#WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/rzjRTkH3De

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 29, 2023

It started with Perreault gloving down a loose puck to himself, finding Leonard in space and Leonard made a quick pass to the streaking Smith who put the puck home to complete the play. 

With USA trailing again, Lane Hutson (MTL) had his best play of the World Juniors to date, creating a scoring chance of his own before grabbing his rebound and feeding Ryan Chesley (WSH) for the one-timer to make it 3-3.

A tightly-played third period saw few scoring chances generated, with both Fowler and Hrabal turning aside each team's best looks.

The U.S. got a few good looks during the overtime period and even drew a power play, but was unable to solve Hrabal, who ended the 65 minutes with 30 saves.

In the shootout, it was all about the goalies. Fowler stopped each of the first two Czech shooters before Jiri Kulich (BUF) buried his chance blocker-side. The U.S. came down to their last shooter as Gabe Perreault (NYR) made an absolutely filthy move to slip a puck barely past Hrabal to keep his team's hopes alive. The Czechs still had one shooter, though, as Matyas Sapovaliv (VGK) stepped up for his chance. Fowler stopped him with a confident save, sending the shootout to extras.

Gabe Perreault had to score, and he did! Team USA stays alive. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/QYrLgSR6KI

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2023

As is the case in IIHF play, any player can take the chances in the extra rounds of the shootout, but the order is reversed with the Czechs shooting first and USA going second. Kulich stepped up again, but Fowler stopped him. Perreault got his second chance, but Hrabal was able to get in front of his chance. 

Eduard Sale (SEA) had a chance to put the pressure on the Americans, but once again Fowler stood tall. That's when USA sent Howard over the boards.

The Lightning first-rounder confidently strode up the ice and slipped a quick shot through Hrabal to send the U.S. players sprawling onto the ice in celebration.

Medal Round Implications

With the shootout win, USA now has eight of a possible nine points, sitting one point behind Slovakia in preliminary play. The Slovaks have won each of their first three games by wide margins and have secured all nine points with regulation wins. The two teams will play against each other on New Year's Eve at 6 a.m. ET. The winner finishes first in the group and would likely face either Finland or Germany in the quarterfinal.

What We Learned From USA's 4-3 Shootout Win Over Czechia

USA's "Third Line" Causes Problems For Opposition

Frank Nazar kicked the game off with his fifth assist in the previous four periods, setting up an Isaac Howard goal. Offensively, they create chances and make plays, but it's the discomfort they create for teams with their quick puck movement and speed as a trio, highlighted by the spectacular wheels Gavin Brindley (CBJ) plays with. 

Having a line that creates that kind of energy shift by shift is something every team looks for from their depth. Both Nazar and Brindley drew penalties in the first period, while Brindley drew another in overtime. They create so much havoc that it's hard for opposing defenders to really get set and the forwards are chasing them a lot.

This line forechecks well and has the skill to be disruptive. They also have chemistry with Nazar and Brindley playing together often at Michigan and the three of them having been a line at the 2021 IIHF World Men's Under-18 Championship. That familiarity has brought success.

Meanwhile, Howard scored the first and last goals of the day against Czechia, Brindley has four goals and Nazar has a team-best six assists. This group is making a lot of plays.

Puck Management Problems Persist

If there has been a common theme about areas in need of improvement for Team USA, it's the team's puck management. That's especially true in the defensive zone, which proved to be problematic against a Czech team that was skilled enough to turn mistakes into goals. They're certainly not the only team capable of that in this event, either.

USA has defensemen that want to have the puck and want to make plays, but sometimes that has been to their detriment. Holding pucks too long, making poor decisions with pucks up ice and even some of the short-distance passing has been suspect. Getting pucks up ice should be one of the things this team is best at, and that wasn't as evident in the game against the Czechs.

Being harder on pucks is another thing that this U.S. team should be better at, both among forwards and defensemen. Bigger teams are seemingly having an easier time making the American players uncomfortable with the puck. You don't want a team with this much skill lacking confidence on top of the puck.

The games only get harder from here and that's an area that appears to have been harped on an awful lot so far. 

Lane Hutson's Uneven, But Effective Day

Lane Hutson (MTL) had one assist in the game and was named U.S. Player of the Game. He was a bit up-and-down, however. That said, the U.S. needed big minutes from him in Casey's absence and Hutson delivered. He played a game-high 26:16, putting together some critical shifts including one the U.S. desperately needed while trailing.

Hutson set up the game-tying goal from Chesley after doing his effective puck work to gain the zone and even had a scoring chance. He calmly collected his own rebound and identified Chesley as an option quickly. He put that one on a tee through traffic and Chesley hammered it home.

Ryan Chesley (WSH) ties this one up for #TeamUSA 🇺🇸
Anyone else getting a little whiplash watching this one? 😵‍💫#WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/2OStel91UB

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 29, 2023

Hutson also put together some of his better shifts in the offensive zone during the third period, creating another scoring chance with Hrabal making a key save.

Hutson has not been as productive as many of us expected to be, but he's been asked to do a lot in this tournament. He plays in all situations, plays big minutes and has been reliable enough defensively to be used as much as he is. You know he's going to take risks and sometimes those risks aren't going to work out, but when he makes the plays that he does, you just want to let him cook.

Hutson is clearly viewed as one of the core players of this team and the coaching staff has no problem relying on him heavily.

Stray Observations/Notes

• Head coach David Carle said that he was uncertain of when Trey Augustine and Seamus Casey will be available to return to game action. He said neither came to the arena for Friday's game to rest and he hopes they will be recuperated in time for the game against Slovakia. USA had to play with six defensemen because replacing Casey with Aram Minnetian (DAL) would have effectively ended Casey's torunament.
• Defensive depth was a bit of a concern against a heavy-forechecking Czech squad. USA's bottom two pairings had a lot of tense moments and all three goals against came when neither Huston or Chesley was on the ice. The U.S. coaching staff has to be able to trust their next two pairings and that didn't seem like a safe bet in this game. Getting Casey back will help, but if he remains out longer-term, that could become a greater problem.
• Jacob Fowler didn't have a lot of favors done for him on some of the goals against, but what a performance he had in the shootout. The confidence he showed in that situation is comforting to both him and the USA staff, though Carle said that his confidence in either of Fowler or Augustine has never wavered.
• Gabe Perreault's shootout goal was nasty. His confidence and creativity with the puck remain key attributes of his game.
• Michael Hrabal was excellent for Czechia. The Coyotes prospect and USHL alumnus had a very difficult first game against Slovakia, but has been dialed in ever since. He allowed just two shootout goals on seven shots and also stopped 30 over the 65 minutes he played. He gave that team a chance. His first period in particular was impressive after allowing a goal on the first shot he faced, bouncing back and stopping the next 14. If Hrabal plays as well as he did today for the duration of the tournament, Czechia has a chance to do some damage. They're not deep enough to be a gold medal contender, but he's got a chance to steal some games.

Key Stats

• Team USA's power play was 0-for-3, Team USA's PK was 2-for-2
• USA had a 53.2% team faceoff percentage, their lowest of the tournament. Will Smith led the team, winning seven of nine draws.
• Team USA got zero points out of its first line for the first time this tournament.
• Lane Hutson and Ryan Chesley were not on the ice for any goals against despite leading Team USA in ice time with 26:16 and 24:58, respectively.

Team USA Schedule

• Dec. 26: USA vs. Norway, 4-1 W
• Dec. 28: Switzerland vs. USA, 11-3 W
• Dec. 29: Czechia vs. USA, 4-3 SOW
• Dec. 31: USA vs. Slovakia, 6 a.m. EST

World Juniors Stream, Television Info In 2023-2024

The World Juniors Championships will air on the NHL Network in the United States. Select games not involving the United States will be available to stream live on ESPN+.

World Juniors Hockey On TSN In Canada

In Canada, the event will be televised on TSN and streamed. The tournament will also be streamed on TSN's digital platforms.

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