Dostal and Gudas March On as Clara Shines in Italy’s Olympic Exit
The knockout stage of Olympic hockey has arrived and for the Anaheim Ducks, the stakes could not be higher.
Three Ducks players stepped onto the ice with their Olympic dreams hanging in the balance and the results delivered both heartbreak and hope. For Czechia, Radko Gudas and Lukas Dostal are moving on. For Italy, young goaltender Damian Clara saw his remarkable run come to an end, but not without making a statement on the world stage.
Let’s start with Italy. Facing a fast, disciplined Swiss squad, the host nation needed something special. Switzerland controlled much of the pace, forcing turnovers and creating wave after wave of odd-man rushes. Clara was tested constantly. Breakaways, two-on-ones, power-play traffic in front, it was relentless. And yet, he stood tall. He stopped 48 of 51 shots, many from point-blank range. Two goals came on the power play, another off a rebound scramble. None were soft. None were giveaways. Clara battled through heavy pressure and kept Italy within reach far longer than many expected.
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Italy exits the tournament winless, but Clara leaves as one of its breakout stars. A .911 save percentage over four appearances tells the story of a goalie who faced elite competition and did not blink. For a young netminder on Olympic ice, that matters.
Meanwhile, Czechia handled Denmark 3–2 to punch its ticket forward. The game was tighter than expected. Czechia controlled possession early, but Denmark pushed late. Gudas had a mixed performance. He made the simple plays, protected the slot well, but a couple of positioning errors led to Danish goals. It was not his cleanest outing, yet Czechia survived.
Dostal, however, delivered exactly what his team needed. He stopped 24 of 26 shots, calmly absorbing outside attempts and limiting second chances. His puck-handling helped launch breakouts and slowed Denmark’s momentum in the final minutes. It was steady, confident goaltending and it sets up a massive quarterfinal showdown against Canada.
This is where Olympic tournaments shift from storylines to legacies. Czechia now faces a powerhouse. Clara’s tournament is over, but his reputation has grown. And for Ducks fans, the spotlight only gets brighter.
The quarterfinals are here, the pressure is rising and every shift could define a career. Stay with us as this Olympic journey continues, because the biggest moments are still ahead.
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