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Greece was considered an underdog coming into the game, but they managed to take the early lead. After killing a penalty, Joshua Barbas scored on a Greek power play on a rebound. However, two goals from the USA turned the score around before the first intermission. Jordan Senecal and Christopher Liebers both found gaps next to Ioannis Vrettis’s right post.
Nicholas Pitsikoulis tied it at two as he buried a perfect pass from behind the goal by Kuzmarski, but the Americans took the lead back before the end of the second period. Matt Kissel received a perfect pass right from the face off circle and one-timed it past Vrettis.
The USA could have double its lead early in the third period when Vrettis left the crease to help his teammates. He made a bad pass and as he rushed back, he was fortunate to be able to stop Joshua Merchant’s shot. And then the Greeks made it even again. Michael Pinios’s shot from blue line bounced in through the five hole in a weak moment for Jonathan Rethage’s.
Despite more action in the remaining minutes, it ended 3-3 after regulation time and Tipsport arena saw its first overtime.
Kuzmarski won it for Greeks, taking a pass from Barbas on a 2-on-1 and beating Rethage with a backhand deke. The play was reviewed but with no reason to overturn the decision, the goal was good.
Reactions
Cory Herschk (head coach, Team USA): Anytime you go to overtime it’s anybody’s game. Greece earned their chances and they capitalized off them. We did not. Good luck to them for the rest of tournament, they have a good team with a good leader. We didn’t take care of the hockey ball enough, especially through the neutral zone. There were a couple of bounces in our zone that didn’t work in our favour. Besides that, the Greeks worked hard. I think both teams worked hard, actually.
John Kontitsis (manager, Team Greece): It feels amazing right now. We are kind of a cinderella story. Two years ago we came into the tournament and ended up losing to the U.S. in the semi-finals. We knew it was going to be a tough game; they are a world-class team, an amazing organization. We just knew we had to come up here and play a picture-perfect game. It kind of went to their way but we didn’t stop believing in ourselves. We kept confident, we told the boys that anything can happen. We are really proud. Today we showed that we can compete against the best in the world.
