Zagreb, Croatia - March 8 - The Team USA Men opened play at the 2023 World Aquatics World Cup Qualifier with a 16-14 loss to the host country of Croatia. Alex Bowen led the charge offensively for Team USA with four goals scored while Chase Dodd added three scores of his own. Team USA is back in action tomorrow versus Japan at 2:30pm et/11:30am pt. The game can be streamed live on the World Aquatics YouTube channel with live scoring available from World Aquatics by clicking here.
After Luka Bukic converted a power play chance within the first minute to open play, Alex Bowen stepped up to bury a penalty shot for Team USA's first score of the game. On the subsequent possession, Loren Fatovic scored for the hosts on another man-up advantage. The Americans were determined to keep pace early as Ryder Dodd and Bowen scored off 6-on-5 advantages on either side of another score from Bukic. Max Irving joined the party for the United States, making the score 4-3 midway through the first quarter before Croatia got a score from Konstantin Kharkov. Luca Cupido scored off a nice pass from Irving before the hosts scored on a penalty shot with 0:40 seconds left, putting an end to a high-scoring opening period.
Croatia opened the second quarter with two quick goals, one from long-distance by Matias Biljaka and a lob shot by Fatovic on the counter attack. Johnny Hooper answered for Team USA before a three plus minute spell without a goal either way. Kharkov ended the drought with 2:21 remaining in the half to put the home team back up by two, 8-6. Thirty seconds later, the United States drew two exclusions, opening the space for Bowen to fire another one home. Croatia responded with back-to-back goals to close for a 10-7 lead at the half.
Chase Dodd opened the third period with a cross cage goal for the Americans before Kharkov rang the register on a penalty try for Croatia, pushing the lead back to three. Team USA captain Ben Hallock then drew an exclusion battling in front of the cage to set up Hannes Daube for a penalty shot that he converted to cut the deficit to 11-9. After that, it was Kharkov again before Chase Dodd skipped one home. Rino Buric and Jerko Marinic Kragic scored for the hosts to close the quarter with a 14-10 advantage.
Fatovic began the fourth period with a penalty strike from five meters before Chase Dodd scored on another skip shot into the back of the net. Bowen followed that up with his fourth goal of the contest to cut the Team USA deficit to 15-12. Croatia earned another penalty shot and got a conversion out of Kharkov for his sixth score of the day. Hooper then earned a penalty shot for the United States that Irving put away for the score. Down the stretch, Tyler Abramson scored one for the Americans, but it was not enough as the hosts held on for the 16-14 victory.
Scoring -Â Stats via World Aquatics
USA 14 (5, 2, 3, 4) A. Bowen 4, C. Dodd 3, M. Irving 2, J. Hooper 1, T. Abramson 1, H. Daube 1, L. Cupido 1, R. Dodd 1
CRO 16 (5, 5, 4, 2) K. Kharkov 6, L. Fatovic 3, J. Marinic Kragic 3, L. Bukic 2, R. Buric 1, M. Biljaka 1
Penalties - USA - 3/4Â - CRO - 5/5
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