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The United States escaped a scare against the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals of the Beijing Olympics women’s ice hockey competition, eventually winning 4-1 on Friday.
The Americans outshot the Czechs 59-6, but the score remained tied heading into the third period courtesy to great goaltending from Klara Peslarova, who made 56 saves. This was the Czech Republic’s first Olympic tournament.
The Americans seized the lead at 6:49 of the third period on a difficult break by Peslarova. Peslarova dropped her goal stick as the Americans approached the attacking zone. Then, when the Americans took control of the puck, the strap on Peslarova’s mask fell undone. She attempted to signal a stoppage to the referee, but play resumed. Defender Lee Stecklein sent a shot off the stick of Czech forward Michaela Pejzlova and into the net to give the Americans the lead and enable them to breathe a little.
The Czech Republic threw all they could at the Americans. In the first frame of their quarterfinal clash, the Americans outshot them 18-0. The Americans, however, were unable to get a puck past Peslarova, and the session ended 0-0.
The Czech Republic seized the lead on its first shot on goal of the game, 4:59 into the second period, when Pejzlova capitalized on a breakdown by the US defense deep in its zone.
But the lead was short-lived, as Knight tied the game 48 seconds later on a drive to the net. Knight is tied for fourth all-time in women’s Olympic tournament goals for the United States (10) with Cammi Granato, and she is tied for fourth all-time in all-time goals with Katie King (23).
The Americans were forced to kill a five-minute major boarding penalty on forwarding Dani Cameranesi for a hit on defender Tereza Radova 13:46 into the second period. It was first indicated as a minor penalty, but following a video review by the officials, it was upgraded to a major.
Before Stecklein’s score, the tension remained high in the third period. The United States won on a power-play goal by defender Savannah Harmon, a huge boost for a struggling team that had been 4-for-23 before that.
However, when contrasted to the Czech Republic, which went 0-for-21 in the competition, the US power play looked like a juggernaut.
Kendall Coyne Schofield scored an empty netter to round off the scoring.
