The two-time Olympic champion USA has reached the quarter-finals at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang. For the first time in 44 years, underdog Norway is also among the top eight. The US team with second-league defender James Wisniewski from Kassel Huskies swept the former world champion Slovakia 5:1 (0:0,3:1,2:0) from the ice in the first knockout match.
In the round of the last eight the Americans will meet the Czech Republic on Wednesday (12.10 a. m. OZ/4.10 CET).
Norway, who lost 2-1 to the German national team on Sunday after a 2-1 penalty shootout, beat Slovenia 2-1 (0-1,0-0,1-0,1-0,1-0) after extra time. The next opponent for the eleventh place at the World Championships, who finished eighth in 1972 in Sapporo, will be record world champion Russia on Wednesday (16.40 hrs OZ/8.40 CET).
The former NHL player Wisniewski, who had moved to the DEL 2 to join the Olympic squad, scored the decisive 2-0 for the Americans in 5-3 majority (23rd). Ryan Donato (22nd/57th), Mark Arcobello (34th) and Garrett Roe (50th) also met. Peter Ceresnak only managed the interim 1:3 for the Slovaks (37.).
In the fourth minute of the extra time, the Iserlohn-based DEL defender Alexander Bonsaksen let the Norwegians cheer. Tommy Kristiansen (44th) had compensated for the Slovenian lead by Jan Urbas of Fischtown Penguins Bremerhaven (7th).