Team USA Wins Group B Behind Trey Augustine

Team USA made a statement with a 10-2 victory over Slovakia on New Year’s Eve to win Group B. But it was the play of Trey Augustine that everyone will be talking about.

After not having their best against Czechia on Friday, winning in a shootout thanks to Issac Howard, the Americans played their best game thus far at the 2024 World Junior Championship. After Day One of the tournament, many saw the game between Slovakia and Team USA as the one that could determine the group.

Team USA needed to be at their best as Slovakia had won their first three games of the tournament for the first time since 2002. However, it was surprising to see Slovakia not starting Adam Gajan in this all-important game.

It was a coaching decision to rest him for the quarterfinals, but the goaltending edge quickly shifted to the Americas. Trey Augustine was back between the pipes for the Americans after dealing with an illness in the previous game.

And Augustine was the story in this game. He needed to be sharp because Slovakia still had offensive weapons that could hurt the Americans. Augustine stopped 38 of 40 shots in Team USA’s victory. However, you could see he was in the zone earlier.

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With the Americans leading 2-1 in the first period, Slovakia started to take over the game as they were on a five-minute power play. Augustine stopped 11 shots, including a point-blank high danger zone chance on Jozef Kmec with 30 seconds left in the period. Augustine carried that momentum into the second period, where he stopped 19 of 20 shits. Slovakia outshot the Americans 20-11, but were down 5-2.

Even though the Americans had a 3-1 lead scoring on the Slovakia five-minute power play, Augustine had to be sharp. He was the American’s best penalty killer in the game. He made the big saves at the right time. Augustine came up clutch for Team USA all game long.

Augustine was excellent in the big moments, stopping everyone from Slovakia’s leading scorer, Servac Petrovsky, to captain Adam Sykora at point-blank range. He left many Slovakian players shaking their heads.

As Full Press Hockey’ Russ Cohen explained seeing Augustine as Team USA’s training camp this season, “he has gotten faster, side to side and up and down. Augustine acknowledged that to me as part of his offseason program. He does know how to play bigger in the net.” 

And you could tell he was bigger in between the pipes. Some of the shots Slovakia had probably gone in on other goalies; however, they were not against Augustine. Even though Rutger McGroarty received player of the game honors, if it was not for the play of Trey Augustine, Team USA does not win this game.

Team USA got goals from McGroarty, who recorded a hat trick, Cutter Gauthier, Issac Howard (two goals), Gavin Brindley (one goal), Ryan Leonard (one goal), Eric Pohlkamp (one goal), and Zeev Buium (one goal). Jimmy Snuggerud did not play in this game as he was out with an illness. In addition, Gavin Hayes received a five minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing. So the Americans were playing with 10 forwards the whole game.

Defensively, the Americans cleaned up their game after playing Czechia, where they left so many lanes wide open. Again if you get them outside the dots, you can beat the Americans smaller defense. But Team USA turned special teams in their favor.

The Americans held Slovakia, who had the top power-play unit in the tournament, to just one goal. Again mostly because of the play of Trey Augustine. However, Gavin Brindley has the Full Press Hockey Turning Point with a short-handed goal on the Slovak five-minute power play. The Americans also got a power play goal from Gauthier. Team USA dominate all phases of the game.

Once again, Team USA showed how dominant they can be at five-on-five with all that skill. They did not let bad habits slip into their game as they finished off the game and round robin, making a statement. Entering this tournament it is Team USA’s medal to lose.

Now, the Americans will have a day off and will play Latvia in the quarterfinals.