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A five-goal second period was the difference, as Team USA defeated Team Slovakia 8-3 in Piešťany in the last pre-tournament game for both sides. The Americans got goals from eight different players, and the Slovaks had three different scorers as well. Two of the Slovak goals came on the power play, while all eight American goals were at even strength.
Team USA won the silver medal at last year´s Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and served notice to one of the tournament co-hosts that they intend to contend again. Nicholas Swaney got them on the board right away, but the first period ended 1-1, as Andrej Vandovič evened the score on the power play.
The second period is where the Americans took over the game. Once again they struck quickly, this time Robert Jackson of the USHL´s Chicago Steel, then Karch Bachman three minutes later, then two quick ones by Ryan Moore and Thomas Novak opened up 5-1 U.S. lead by the game´s halfway mark. Dennis Yan made it a 6-1 game before the second period was finished.
With the outcome of the game virtually decided already, each team scored twice in the final 20 minutes - Peter Valent and Filip Lešťan for the Slovaks and Troy Terry and Grant Gabriel for the Americans.
The Americans now travel to Břeclav, where they will open up their group stage against the tournament´s other co-host, the Czech Republic. The Slovaks remain in Piešťany and face Sweden on Monday.
Slovakia 3 : USA 8 (1:1, 0:5, 2:2)
Goals and assists: 12. Vadovič (Pätoprstý, Sádecký), 43. Valent (R. Bondra, Mário Grman), 56. Lešťan (Sádecký) - 2. Swaney, 21. Jackson, 24. Bachman, 29. Moore (Bachman, Foley), 30. Novak (Wilkie), 34. Yan, 53. Terry (Jackson, Young), 59. Gabriele.
Penalty minutes: 22:18, including 10-minute misconduct to Pätoprstý (SVK). Power-play goals: 2:0, Referees: Novák, Müllner – Šefčík, Junek.
Slovakia: Cibulka, 29. Húska - Roman, Grman, Vadovič, Hatala, Trška, Škamla, Nemec, Kolesár - Horváth, Valent, Radovan Bondra - Pätoprstý, Sádecký, Lešťan - Sloboda, Oško, Žiak - Duplinský, Pataky, Žitný.
USA: Sarthou, 30. Jurusik – Wilkie, Dello, Blaisdell, Young, Olson, Gabriele, Cecconi – Yan, Novak, Boeser – Jackson, Filipe, Terry – Gates, Moore, Swaney – Bachman, Foley, Smith.