USA 5 CZECH REPUBLIC 2...BLUE Notes BACKES and LEAFS KESSEL & van RIEMSDYK push the AMERICANS into the Medal Round over the CZECHS as QUICK was solid in the Crease...SOCHI 2K14 Winter Games ICE HOCKEY Quarters "U-S-A...U-S-A...U-S-A" Edition #SochiOlympics #TeamUSA

Team USA took no chances as they made relatively quick work of the Czech Republic as they came out #GoldOrBust in Period 1. Goals by the Leafs James van Riemsdyk, Kings Dustin Brown, and Blues David Backes set the stage for the US as the Czech struck after the van Riemsdyk goal to make it 1-1. Brown's and Backes' Scores made it 3-1 as Backes scored at the 19:58 mark in Period 1.

Team USA then settled down in the 2nd and Minnesota Wild Star Zach Parise scored almost in the middle of frame two to make it 4-1 for the only scoring in that frame. Phil Kessel of the Leafs made it 5-1 in the 3rd with a score just two minutes into the 3rd frame witch the Czech make it 5-2 as #HereComeTheOilers Ales Hemsky scored at the 13:00 mark. Team USA looked vibrant and brought some physical play to the Czechs and roughed them up a bit.

Jonathan Quick stopped 21 of 23 on Net as the Czech's shuffled in Winnipeg Net Minder Ondrej Pavalec (8/12 saves) and Alexander Salak (12/13 saves). Team USA now sets up a Medal Round Game with the Canadians on Friday February 21st as Canada gets by Latvia 2-1.