Croatia – Latvia 6:3 (end) | Germany2 – Finland 2:5 (end) | Slovenia2 – Australia 8:5 (end)
Sweden2 – Canada2 5:4 (end) | Austria – Hungary 5:6 (end) | Czech Republic – xxx 7:1 (end)
Japan2 – Brazil 4:3 (end) | USA – Slovakia2 6:0 (end)
final
USA
6:0 (1:0, 2:0, 2:0, 1:0)
Slovakia2
Tuesday 03.06.2014, 20:00 • ČEZ Arena, Pardubice, Czech Republic • IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 20:00.
     
    The very last game of the group stage of the IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship is here! United States are a huge favourite against Slovakia and if they want to win Group A, they have to outscore the European opponent.
     
    Starting lineups:

    USA: Kuhn III (Lane) – Spezia, White, Rodriguez, Burnett – Noe, Cadiz, Lee, Kettler – Novak, Siemer, Thompson, Kavaya. Coach: Joe Cook.

    Slovakia: Ondrejka (Neumann) – Preisinger, Novajovsky, Simunek, Ruzicka – Jasko, Novak, Holovic, Prokop – Mrazik, Ruckay,Siller, Haring. Coach: Imrich Antal.

    Referees: Virta (FIN), Würtherle (CZE).
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    01:30
    The Americans start pretty good, but we are waiting for the first shot on goal.
     
    02:17
    And so it was Marcel Holovic who checked Kunh's pad.
     
    02:44
    Goal for Team USA!
    It took 164 seconds for the defending champion to take the lead. Noe skated through the right side and found JUNIOR CADIZ between the circles, then it was an easy job. Assists: Travis Noe, Cody Kettler.
     
    03:40
    The game is really one-sided so far.
     
    05:13
    Tyler Spezia's shot from the right circle hit the post behind Jozef Ondrejka!
     
    06:40
    The US combination ended with a shot by Patrick Lee. Ondrejka made a brilliant save with his glove.
     
    07:36
    United States are all the time in the attack zone and try to make the combination as good as they can.
     
    09:25
    After a long, long while also Jerry Kuhn had to be patient against a shot from very respectful distance.
     
    10:54
    Team USA is back in front of Ondrejka, Rafael Rodriguez now missed the puck, even he had an empty net.
     
    11:32
    After Ondrejka's save the puck is in the protective net.
     
    12:00
    1st period finished.
     
    We are watching a very one-sided game, but the favourited team is pretty weak in finishing the offensive actions.
     
    12:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    13:16
    The Slovakian team started the second quarter pretty well, now Jerry Kuhn had to make a save with his blocker.
     
    14:57
    I guess most of the fans are really bored now. We can see nothing on the rink.
     
    15:57
    Goal for Team USA!
    Backhand – backhand – goal. Matt White sent a great pass to RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ and Jozef Ondrejka was too short to catch this puck. Assist: Matt White.
     
    17:37
    Another big opportunity, now for Greg Thompson in a clear position. I'm not sure if he missed or Ondrejka had a piece of that.
     
    19:01
    However, I guess the Slovaks have maybe five or six shots so far in this period. Now it was by Milan Siller, a great player which plays for Uhersky Brod in the Czech extraleague.
     
    20:06
    Goal for Team USA!
    Second goal by the second US line. Junior Cadiz and TRAVIS NOE changed their roles, now Noe took a shot from between the circles and targeted a free spot in Ondrejka's equipment. Assist: Junior Cadiz.
     
    21:53
    Two players were fighting in the corner, but I mean fighting in allowed bounds. We haven't seen a single penalty so far.
     
    22:50
    Filip Novak gained speed and tried his luck with a low shot, which went off thanks to Jerry Kuhn.
     
    23:33
    Someone from Team Slovakia fell on Kuhn and the Americans had to explain him: No way, man!
     
    24:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    Well, it's not so much interesting game. The U.S. are heading to a clear victory, but they have also some problems and the Slovaks play pretty good match. Will a miracle happen?
     
    24:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    24:22
    Goal for Team USA!
    This is right the start the U.S. needed. After 22 seconds Matt White found RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ between the circles and it was nearly the same situation as all the American goals. Assists: Matt White, Derrick Burnett.
     
    27:47
    Minor penalty for both sides. Peter Novajovsky (SVK) – cross checking, John Siemer (USA) – holding the stick.
     
    28:57
    Rafael Rodrigues wants to finish hat-trick, but now Ondrejka covered the low side.
     
    29:31
    Goal for Team USA!
    An inconspicuous situations and the Americans lead 5-0. JUNIOR CADIZ took a shot from the left side and Ondrejka probably didn't see much because of the players in front of him. Assist: Travis Noe.
     
    31:26
    Second line of Team Slovakia had a really good shift, but the puck bounced from their sticks every time.
     
    32:24
    Milan Siller was all alone behind the American defense. But then he went too much to the side and Kuhn made a nice save in Hasek style.
     
    34:14
    Lukas Ruzicka had to stop his opponent in whatever way. He gets minor for tripping, we are gonna watch first power-play of the game.
     
    35:29
    Travis Noe is one of the best players tonight, but now he completely missed the Slovakian net.
     
    35:50
    Slovakia plays at full strength.
     
    36:00
    End of 3rd period.
     
    36:01
    Start of 4th period.
     
    36:01
    Team USA changed goalies, Zachary Lane comes to the net.
     
    37:58
    Second power-play for Team USA. Filip Novak gets called for high stick.
     
    38:48
    Jozef Ondrejka does his best to stop the margin raising. Now he was all over the goal line and Kettler couldn't believe it.
     
    39:40
    Slovakia plays at full strength.
     
    40:15
    Travis Noe, the best scorer from last year's championship in Dresden, missed the puck in front of empty net.
     
    41:58
    Two good shots by Roman Simunek. The first was deflected wide, Lane then sealed the pads up.
     
    42:58
    Third power-play for the U.S. Peter Novajovsky (SVK) – minor penalty for tripping. Will we see a goal now?
     
    43:45
    Shot by Junior Cadiz went just milimeters wide, but mabye Ondrejka would have that as well.
     
    44:40
    The Slovaks are playing at full strength. Well, you can't say that U.S. power-plays are good today.
     
    45:24
    Goal for Team USA!
    But just a minute after the power-play ended we have the sixth goal here. Patrick Lee ran quickly into the zone and moved the puck to TRAVIS NOE, who gets well-deserved second goal of the game. Assists: Patrick Lee, Matt White.
     
    47:01
    I guess the Slovaks will not find any response and they will finish with 0 goals on their side.
     
    47:59
    Last face-off of the game.
     
    48:00
    Game over.
     
    I think Slovakia could have scored a goal, but of course the U.S. deserved this victory completely. It means they finished the group as the winner, the Slovaks are the third team.

    Best players of the game are Jozef Ondrejka and Rafael Rodrigues. Good decision.
     
    That's everything from the group stage. We're looking forward to the quarterfinals on Thursday, bye for now! (21:27:51)
    Commentary by

    Martin Voltr

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 3. Cadiz (Noe, Kettler), 16. Rodriguez (White), 21. Noe (Cadiz), 25. Rodriguez (White, Burnett), 30. Cadiz (Noe), 46. Noe (Lee, White)

    USA: Kuhn III (37. Lane) – Spezia, White, Rodriguez, Burnett – Noe, Cadiz, Lee, Kettler – Novak, Siemer, Thompson, Kavaya. Coach: Joe Cook.
    Slovakia2: Ondrejka (Neumann) – Preisinger, Novajovsky, Simunek, Ruzicka – Jasko, Novak, Holovic, Prokop – Mrazik, Ruckay, Siller, Haring. Coach: Imrich Antal.
    Referees: Virta (FIN), Würtherle (CZE)