Beijing 2022: US slip up against Slovakia in ice hockey shock

The United States suffered a shock 3-2 shootout loss to Slovakia in the quarter-finals of the men's ice hockey tournament at the Beijing Games as their opponents set up a chance to claim the country's first ever Olympic medal in the sport. Peter Cehlarik clinched the victory as the only skater to score in the nail-biting shootout by beating US netminder Strauss Mann after overtime ended with the game tied at 2-2.

After Cehlarik scored the US had one last chance to extend the shootout but captain Andy Miele could not beat netminder Patrik Rybar and the Slovakia bench erupted in wild celebration. Unbeaten in group play, the US looked headed for the semi-finals in regulation, leading 2-1 until Slovakia pulled Rybar for an extra attacker and were rewarded with the equaliser by captain Marek Hrivik with 44 seconds left to force overtime.

The US had cobbled together an Olympic squad from colleges plus minor and European leagues after the National Hockey League opted not to participate in Beijing after a surge in Covid-19 cases in locker rooms forced the postponement of over 100 games. With the majority of the US team still playing college hockey, they had the youngest roster but Slovakia featured the youngest player in 17-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky.

The teenager has underlined his status as a top pick in next year's NHL draft, leading the Olympics scoring table with five goals. If NHL scouts were not already impressed by Slafkovsky, he gave them more reason to get excited when he unloaded a missile from the slot that the US netminder could only wave at as it landed in the back of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.