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July 6, 2010

Team USA edges Czechs
for IIHF Inline Worlds gold

KARLSTAD, Sweden -- Shawn Gawrys (St. Louis) scored the winning goal with five minutes remaining in the final period and Troy Redmann stopped 18 of 21 shots he faced to lead the U.S. InLine National Team to a 4-3 win over the Czech Republic Sunday night in the gold-medal game of the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation InLine Hockey World Championship.

Team USA captured its fifth gold medal in tournament history (1996, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2010). Nathan Sigmund (San Diego) was named the best forward of the tournament by the directorate.

"After losing last year's gold-medal game by just one goal, this was definitely an exciting win," said U.S. head coach Rob Chornomud. "We answered every time we needed to respond tonight. The hard work has paid off for every player in that locker room."

Team USA jumped out to an early lead just 3:45 into the opening frame. Pat Lee (Shaumberg, Ill.) sent a pass to Kyle Kraemer (St. Louis), who stickhandled past two defenders and fired a shot from just inside the right circle for the goal. The Czech Republic answered with a goal just 52 seconds later.

After the U.S. killed off back-to-back penalties in the second period, Kraemer and Lee connected again to give Team USA a 2-1 edge heading into halftime. Lee found Kraemer racing up the left side boards, where Kraemer used the Czech Republic defender as a screen and released a quick wrist shot for his second goal of the game.

After another Czech Republic goal at the 3:54 mark of the third period, the U.S. responded to regain the lead, 3-2. James Beilsten (St. Louis) drove to the net and let off a shot that was blocked. Pat Maroon (St. Louis) picked up the rebound and sent a backhander to the top of the net for the goal at 6:49.

Just 2:31 into the final stanza, the Czech Republic evened the score for the third time, but Team USA once again responded to take a 4-3 advantage with 5:04 remaining in the game. C.J. Yoder (Colorado Springs, Colo.) sent a cross-ice pass to Maroon just inside the offensive blueline, who then found Gawrys skating up the right side. Gawrys raced to the front of the net and fired a wrist shot past Czech Republic goaltender Roman Handl for the gold medal-winning goal.

Handl made 23 saves for the Czech Republic.