Brady Tkachuk expresses his disappointment with absence of fighting in IIHF World Championship

By Ankit Kumar

Modified May 14, 2024 17:58 GMT

Team USA's Brady Tkachuk expressed disappointment following their game against Slovakia in the 2024 IIHF World Championship. Despite a comeback in the third period, the American team fell short in overtime, with Tkachuk highlighting a notable aspect missing from the tournament.

"Yeah, the emotions got high. It's tough that there's no fighting in this tournament. It's physical, it's emotional, but too bad there's no fighting," Brady Tkachuk said (via TSN).

Slovakia had a formidable lead before Team USA launched a dramatic comeback bid. Slovakia took a commanding 2-0 lead after the first period and extended it to 4-1 by the end of the second period. However, Shane Pinto, Brady Tkachuk and Luke Hughes contributed crucial goals in the third period to force overtime.

Milos Keleman of the Utah Hockey Team ultimately sealed the victory for Slovakia with his second goal in overtime. The team secured a hard-fought 5-4 win at Ostrava Arena in Ostrava, Czechia.

While the defeat was unfortunate for Team USA, they have displayed their offense by outshooting Slovakia with a remarkable ratio of 43-25. Defensemen Kevin Hayes of the St. Louis Blues made defensive contributions but did not score any points.

Samuel Hlavaj stood in Brady Tkachuk and Team USA's way

Slovakia's Samuel Hlavaj performed well against Team USA in the 2024 IIHF World Championship. He impressed his teammates and potentially his future coach with the Minnesota Wild, John Hynes. Hlavaj's stellar goaltending, with 39 saves including crucial ones in overtime, secured Slovakia's 5-4 victory.

"I feel amazing. I'm not going to lie," Hlavaj said, after the game. "I know exactly who was the coach on the other side. It feels pretty f*ing good. It's pretty good. I feel like, not satisfied, but I feel pretty good about it."

His teammates praised his composure and skill, anticipating a bright future for the 22-year-old goalie.

Slovakian defenseman and member of the New Jersey Devils' defense corps, Simon Nemec said:

"He was great. ... He played one of the best games in his career, I think. ... He's still young. I hope he'll be in the NHL in two, three years."

Hlavaj signed a two-year contract with the Wild after notable European performances. This victory marked a significant milestone in Hlavaj's career.

Brady Tkachuk and Team USA will now need to come back stronger in the next game.