Nick Bonino and Trevor Lewis gave the United States an early lead Sunday in the bronze-medal game at the world hockey championships. With stellar defense, they never surrendered it. U.S. 3, Czech Republic 0.
After the Americans' victory, Canada meets Russia for the IIHF championship. Faceoff in the title game is expected about 2:30 p.m. ET.
Charlie Coyle scored in the second period for a 3-0 U.S. lead, and Jaromir Jagr and the Czechs couldn't break the shutout.
Here's @NickBonino's goal. #IIHFWorlds https://t.co/OiCGR1NcBf
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) May 17, 2015
GIF: Coyle goal, 3-0 USA pic.twitter.com/xlv09T12ZY
— Stephanie Vail (@myregularface) May 17, 2015Medaling at Prague would be an impressive accomplishment for the U.S. Coach Todd Richards' roster includes two minor-pro players, including starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck, and five collegians. Among them: Jack Eichel of Boston University, the expected No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Team USA lost 4-0 to Russia on Saturday, yielding all goals in the final period. Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin scored in his first game with the Russians. Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins also scored.
Canada beat the Czechs 2-0 with a roster of 23 NHL players. Sidney Crosby, Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza are among the team's best players on a roster that shattered tournament scoring records.
The U.S. roster is the tournament's youngest. Hellebuyck entered Sunday at 6-1 with a tournament-best 1.56 goals-against average and .936 save percentage.
#CBJ Jeremy Morin receives his medal pic.twitter.com/R1JvPkYhdE
— Alison (@AlisonL) May 17, 2015
Success has been elusive for Team USA. A bronze on Sunday would be its second in three years, and the Americans medaled 17 times in eight decades. In contrast, both Canada and Russia have more than 20 gold medals.
NHL players in the tournament either joined their national teams after the regular season or their teams' elimination from the playoffs. Bonino plays for the Vancouver Canucks, Lewis the Los Angeles Kings. Hellebuyck in a Winnipeg Jets prospect. Coyle plays for the Minnesota Wild.
An interesting sidenote to Sunday's game: The Czech's goalie was Ondrej Pavelec, also of the Jets.
That's an impressive medal for Team USA. Can see Jets fans foaming about Hellebuyck from Toronto
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 17, 2015
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Hellebuyck stopped all 39 Czech shots on goal. The U.S. won its most recent gold medal in 1960, the year of its Olympic gold at Squaw Valley, Calif. Defenseman Justin Faulk was the only member of Team USA who played at the Sochi Games.