Phil Kessel’s Hat-Trick Pushes United States Past Slovenia 5-1

Kessel’s Hat-Trick Leads USA To Win Over Slovenia

Phil Kessel‘s would record two first period goals and another one in the second to record the hat-trick as Team USA defeated Slovenia by the final score of 5-0  Ryan Miller was solid in net after watching Jonathan Quick for the first two-games. Miller would give up just one goal on 18 shots for his first win in the tournament.

The United States Men’s Hockey Team got off to a good start Sunday morning against Slovenia as Phil Kessel dragged the puck under the stick of the Slovenian defender and put it away through the goaltender’s five-hole for the quick 1-0 lead just 1:04 into the game. Less than three minutes later, Kessel would be back at it again as he chipped away and buried his second goal of the game to put the United States up 2-0. Joe Pavelski would pick up the assist on both goals from Kessel as Brooks Orpik picked up a helper on the second one.

Slovenia would not back down however after going down 2-0, they would bounce back and almost even up the shot total as the United States held the 8-to-7 advantage as the game went into the first intermission with Team USA holding onto the 2-0 lead.

David Backes would get sent to the box in the first minute of the second period has he was allegedly tripped and ran into the goaltender for goaltender interference, setting up the Slovenia power-play. Ryan Miller would make a spectacular save on a slap-shot from the blue-line as he saved a potential goal — which happened to be the lone shot on net for Slovenia during the power-play.

Robert Sabolic of Slovenia would pick up a bad penalty as he was called for roughing in front of the net after the play on T.J. Oshie, setting up the United States first power-play of the game. Team USA would make too many errant passes as they failed to convert on the power-play.

Phil Kessel would come onto the ice and record the hat-trick as he followed up the rebound shot off of the pads from Luka Gracnar for the 3-0 lead for the United States. The Wheeler-Stastny-Oshie line really set that play up as they kept the puck trapped in Slovenia’s zone.

Just under a minute later, Ryan McDonagh would bury a wrist-shot from the right side of the net to give the United States the 4-0 lead. Slovenia would pick up a power-play as T.J. Oshie was called for slashing but Team USA’s pesky power-kill unit prevented them from getting any momentum.

The United States would keep applying the pressure in the third period as Ryan Callahan threw the puck in front of the net and it would go off of the left skate of David Backes as he would ever so slightly get his stick on the puck to deflect it into the net to put Team USA up 5-0. Slovenia would strike with just 17.6 seconds left in the third period as Marcel Rodman sniped one past Miller to ruin the shutout. However, the United States would come away with the 5-1 win.