Rick DiPietro did everything he could to lead Team USA to victory in yesterday’s IIHF world championship quarterfinal against the Czech Republic. The Islanders’ talented young goaltender stopped 50 of 52 shots and foiled the Czechs on four of five shootout attempts, delivering a goaltending performance for the ages. Unfortunately, his teammates weren’t up to the task, and the Czechs sent the Americans home early with a 3-2 win.

That DiPietro’s heroics would be needed became clear immediately. The Americans played most of the first period on their heels, getting out-shot 13-8 while playing sluggishly. Nonetheless, it was Team USA’s Mike Modano who opened the scoring, blowing past Czech defenseman Frantisek Kaberle and firing a wrist shot past goalie Tomas Vokoun nine minutes in.

The second period was more of the same. The Americans were out-shot 18-8 by an increasingly forceful Czech assault, but some beautiful passing by defenseman Brett Hauer and the Devils’ Zach Parise five minutes into the period enabled the Islanders’ Mark Parrish to put Team USA up 2-0.

Just under two minutes into the third, the Czechs broke through, scoring on a screened shot from the point. The Czechs kept up the onslaught for another eight minutes, during which the Americans allowed their opponents to move the puck around the offensive zone at will. The Czechs finally tied the score when Vaclav Prospal flipped the puck across the crease and past the sprawling DiPietro to pinching defenseman Jaroslav Spacek, who easily buried the puck.

The game remained tied at 2-2 through the end of regulation time. After a scoreless 10-minute, 4-on-4 overtime period, the Americans and Czechs faced off in a shootout for the second consecutive year. Last time, defenseman Andy Roach scored a spectacular goal to win it for Team USA. But the Americans could not repeat past glory.

The first shooter was Czech forward Martin Rucinsky, who spent most of the 2003-04 NHL season with the Rangers. He skated down the center of the ice, fooled DiPietro with a majestic fake to the goalie’s right, and easily tapped a backhand into the yawning net. It would be the only goal scored in the shootout – Vokoun stopped Roach’s backhander on the final U.S. attempt.

Though the loss was clearly disappointing, GM Don Waddell’s newly reconstructed roster represented a huge improvement. For the first time in years, Team USA’s best years lie ahead. It is unclear whether NHL players will play in the 2006 Olympics in Turin, but if they do, it’s clear that DiPietro will be among the first players selected. He allowed only seven goals in four brilliant games (1.68 GAA), and looks poised to become one of the world’s best goalies.

Another player who managed to step up his game was Boston Bruins blueliner Hal Gill. Assigned the task of shadowing Jaromir Jagr, the 6-foot-7-inch Gill did so with unexpected gusto, keeping the Czech superstar off the scoreboard. Gill spent the 2004-05 season in the Finnish Elite League, and the experience improved his skating ability. If this performance was a sign of things to come, Gill could become a defensive force in the mold of fellow giant Zdeno Chara.

Forward Erik Cole also enjoyed a fine tournament, turning back the clock to his excellent performance for the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2002 playoffs. Hauer, who has been a consistent scorer in the AHL and the Swiss league, was another revelation for Team USA. His solid play on the power-play point should persuade an NHL team to take a flyer on him when play resumes.

For the Czechs, the next test is Sweden, which soundly defeated Switzerland yesterday. Rangers prospect Henrik Lundqvist has rebounded nicely from his shaky performance against the Americans in the qualifying round, and looks to be back on track.

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In another quarterfinal match-up yesterday, Team Canada managed to squeak past a scrappy Slovakian squad, 5-4. Two goals by Pavol Demitra put the Slovaks up 4-3 with 16 minutes to play, but Canada’s top line of Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, and Simon Gagne scored twice to give the two-time defending champs a surprisingly tenuous win.

The Canadians are still a bit rusty – Devils superstar Martin Brodeur, in particular, has looked shaky in nets – but the tournament’s most talented team is looking increasingly likely to come away with gold. Next up for Canada is Russia, which defeated Finland in yet another shootout yesterday.

Alexei Yashin started the shootout scoring for the Russians with an absolutely brilliant side-to-side move, demonstrating that he has fully recovered from the severe wrist injury suffered during the 2003-04 season. A healthy Yashin – combined with the fast-rising DiPietro – could turn out to be a lethal combination for the Islanders when the NHL resumes play.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com