Americans blow out Slovakia 10-2 on Sunday. Blackhawks draftee Adam Gajan, the Slovaks' top goalie, didn't play.
Center Frank Nazar III added two more assists and the Blackhawks' three other draftees on Team USA had points in a 10-2 rout of Slovakia at the IIHF World Junior Championship on Sunday in Göteborg, Sweden.
Nazar, drafted in the first round, 13th overall, in 2022, upped his total for the tournament to eight assists. The speedy 5-foot-10 sophomore from the University of Michigan has yet to score.
Defenseman Sam Rinzel, and forwards Oliver Moore and Gavin Hayes each had an assist as the Americans rolled to first place in Group B in the WJC's first round. Rutger McGroarty, drafted right behind Nazar in 2022 (14th) by Winnipeg, had a hat trick. He's also a sophomore with the Wolverines.
Hayes, a rangy winger from the OHL Flint Firebirds, was ejected from the game for a knee-on-knee hit on Slovakia's Milan Pisoja.
Adam Gajan Spared
Slovakia's top goalie, Blackhawks 2023 second-round (35th overall) draftee Adam Gajan didn't play in this one. Coach Ivan Fenes decided to rest Gajan, who played in the Slovaks' first three games, for the quarterfinals.
Gajan is 3-0-0 with with a 2.00 goal-against average and .934 save percentage in the tournament. The 19-year-old was named the top goalie in the WJC last year.
Center Martin Misiak, drafted by the Blackhawks in the second round (55th overall) in 2023, skates for Team Slovakia as well. He has three assists so far in his second WJC.
The four quarterfinal games take place on Tuesday, starting at noon in Central European Time, 5 a.m. Central North American Time.