U.S. National Sled Team Earns 8-0 Victory Over Czechia in IPH Cup Opener

By USA Hockey, 10/07/24, 2:15PM EDT

Team USA Will Take on Canada Tomorrow (Oct. 8) at 9 a.m. ET

OSTRAVA, Czechia – Travis Dodson (Deming, N.M.) and Evan Nichols (Haymarket, Va.) each scored twice while Griffin LaMarre (Haverhill, Mass.) recorded a shutout to help the U.S. National Sled Team to a 8-0 victory over Czechia in the preliminary round of the 2024 IPH Cup at Ostravar Arena.

“Our ability to spread the scoring out was really effective today,” said David Hoff (Bottineau, N.D.), head coach of the U.S. National Sled Team. “When we get contributions from our entire lineup like today, we are really tough to beat. I thought it was a great way to start the season off.”

Nichols opened the scoring at 5:24, wristing home the first goal of the season for Team USA from close range after Declan Farmer (Tampa, Fla.) found him on the doorstep from behind the Czech net.

With just under six minutes remaining in the opening frame, LaMarre shut down a breakaway chance for Czechia to hold the U.S. lead.

Jack Wallace (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) capitalized on a breakaway opportunity while shorthanded with 3:27 to play in the period, stickhandling on to his left before rifling the puck past Czechia goaltender Martin Kudela to give the U.S. a 2-0 advantage. Farmer picked up an assist on the play.

GAME PHOTOS

Dodson batted home a pass from David Eustace (Stoneham, Mass.) with 24 seconds remaining in the first to add to Team USA’s lead.

Just 42 seconds into the middle frame, Dodson picked up his second tally of the game after capitalizing on a top corner, short-side snipe from the left circle.

Nichols scored his second to make it a 5-0 contest 17 seconds later. Kayden Beasley (Coats, N.C.), making his U.S. National Sled Team debut, recorded an assist on the play for his first career point.

Team USA took a 6-0 lead at the 6:54 mark when Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J) knocked in a bouncing puck from the crease off a rebound from Wallace for the power play tally.

With 4:01 to go in the second, Noah Grove (Frederick, Md.) found Eustace with a stretch pass as he entered the Czechia zone, and Eustace launched a wrist shot from the top of the right circle past Kudela to extend the lead.

Farmer added to the tally with 6:20 remaining in the contest to account for the 8-0 final score.

LaMarre stopped all five shots he faced to earn the shutout in goal for the U.S.

Team USA will play Canada tomorrow in its second preliminary round contest. Puck drop is set for 9 a.m. ET, and the game will live stream here.

NOTES: The U.S. outshot Czechia 24-5 … Team USA was 1-3 on the power play, while Czechia was 0-1 … Travis Dodson was named U.S. Player of the Game … Beasley, Sam Becker (Olney, Md.), Caleb Crossett (Thetford, Vt.), and Isaac Escobedo (Las Vegas, Nev.) all made their U.S. National Sled Team debuts.