Hellebuyck defended valiantly, keeping a shutout alive and giving Team USA a chance, but an offensive surge was needed to rewrite the standings.
After sitting out Team USA’s second game of the tournament, Connor Hellebuyck was back in net Sunday for the Americans’ final round robin matchup against Germany.
The stakes were significant for the United States with the quarterfinals approaching, the Americans were looking to improve their goal differential in hopes of securing a more favorable matchup and avoiding a potential showdown with a powerhouse like Sweden in the quarterfinals.
Complicating matters, Canada had already raised the bar earlier in the day with a dominant 10-1 victory over France. The result left the United States needing an 11-0 win over Germany to leapfrog Canada in goal differential, an uphill climb that required both offensive firepower and a flawless performance in net.
The Americans did not break through offensively until the final seconds of the opening period, immediately putting pressure on their ability to close the gap. Hellebuyck did his part to keep the opportunity alive.
The Winnipeg Jets star turned aside several key chances, preserving the shutout through much of the contest and giving his team a chance to build momentum. His bid for a shutout lasted until the final nine minutes, when Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators beat him to spoil the perfect performance.
Despite the late goal, it was another strong outing for Hellebuyck, who finished with 23 saves on 24 shots. While the Americans fell short of the lopsided margin needed to surpass Canada, they head into the knockout stage with confidence in their No. 1 goaltender.
Team USA will now await the winner of the qualification round matchup between Sweden and Latvia, with Hellebuyck expected to continue leading the way as the tournament shifts to single elimination.
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