Olympic Hockey Roundup: Avalanche Players Shine as Preliminary Round Closes
The final day of Olympic preliminary action brought plenty of fireworks - and a fair share of drama - with five Colorado Avalanche players hitting the ice for their respective national teams. Canada and the U.S. both closed out their group stages with dominant wins, while Martin Nečas and Czechia found themselves on the wrong end of a heartbreaker in overtime.
Switzerland 4, Czechia 3 (OT): Nečas Delivers, But Czechs Fall Short
This one had stakes. Both Czechia and Switzerland entered their final Group A matchup at 1-1, each having taken care of France and fallen to Canada.
Second place in the group - and a more favorable path in the knockout stage - was on the line. And Martin Nečas came to play.
The Avalanche forward wasted no time putting his stamp on the game. He set up Filip Chlapík for the opening goal with a slick assist that showed off his elite vision. After Switzerland responded and took a 2-1 lead, Nečas delivered again - this time assisting on the equalizer that made it 2-2.
The third period saw the Swiss regain the lead, and with time winding down, it looked like Czechia might be headed for the qualification round with a tough loss. But Nečas had other plans. With just over two minutes left in regulation, he buried his second goal of the tournament to force overtime.
Unfortunately for Czechia, the extra frame belonged to Switzerland. Dean Kukan played the hero, netting the game-winner and locking up second place in Group A for the Swiss. For Nečas, it was a standout individual performance - a goal and two assists - but not the result his team needed.
Canada 10, France 2: Avalanche Duo Helps Canada Lock Up No. 1 Seed
Already sitting atop Group A, Canada came into their final game knowing that goal differential could be the deciding factor in seeding for the knockout rounds. Message received. The Canadians poured it on against France in a 10-2 rout that left no doubt about their tournament ambitions.
Devon Toews, who’s been relatively quiet offensively with the Avalanche this season, got in on the action early. He finished off a 3-on-1 rush with a slick finish to give Canada a 2-1 lead in the first period. The goal came off assists from none other than Sidney Crosby and fellow Avs teammate Cale Makar.
Makar wasn’t done, either. He added a power-play goal later in the game, becoming the eighth and final Avalanche player to score during the preliminary round.
That’s right - every Avs player in the Olympic tournament has found the back of the net. Talk about depth.
The game had a little bit of everything - a penalty shot goal from Macklin Celebrini, and a Tom Wilson scrap that earned him a rare Olympic Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist, and a fight). But the headline was Canada’s offensive explosion, which pushed their goal differential to +14 and secured the No. 1 overall seed and a bye into the knockout stage.
USA 5, Germany 1: Matthews Leads the Way in American Sweep
The Americans wrapped up their group stage with another convincing win, this time cruising past Germany 5-1 to finish a perfect 3-0. And once again, it was Auston Matthews leading the charge.
Matthews continued his dominant run with two goals and an assist, putting his elite scoring touch on full display. He’s been the engine of this U.S. squad through the prelims, and his ability to create offense in tight spaces is giving opponents fits.
Brock Nelson, another Avalanche representative, didn’t hit the scoresheet in this one, but the U.S. didn’t need him to. With Matthews firing on all cylinders and the team playing tight, structured hockey, the Americans look every bit like a gold medal threat heading into the knockout rounds.
Looking Ahead
With the preliminary round in the books, the stage is set for the knockout phase - and Avalanche players are right in the thick of it. Canada and the U.S. both earned top seeds and will get a little extra rest before resuming play. Czechia, meanwhile, will have to regroup quickly after the OT loss and gear up for a qualification round matchup.
If the prelims were any indication, Avalanche fans have plenty to be excited about. Their players aren’t just participating - they’re making an impact. And with the stakes only getting higher from here, the Olympic spotlight is about to shine even brighter.