The U.S. played close with Greece for most of Thursday's pool play contest, but an inability to capitalize on extra player shots cost the Americans in a 13-11 loss.
Team USA was 1-for-12 on extra player shots, while Greece was 5-for-8. The rest of the contest was evenly matched, as both teams scored four action shot goals, and the U.S. scored on all three penalty shot attempts and had five second chance goals.
USA captain Ben Hallock said the power play struggles are "a theme of the two games we’ve lost so far."
"Scoring 1 from 12 is not going to cut it," Hallock added. “It's pretty incredible being 1 from 12 on extra and still being in a two-goal game with Greece... If we can pick that up we'll be in a lot better position next game."
U.S. goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg tied the score at the end of the first quarter with an incredible goal at the buzzer. Weinberg made a save with just a few seconds left and threw the ball the length of the pool and past Greek keeper Emmanouil Zerdevas to even the score at 4-4.
The U.S. again scored in the final seconds of the second quarter. Trailing by two with 18 seconds left, Greece was called for a foul, giving Marko Vavic a penalty shot. Vavic came through with ease, and Team USA went into the half down 7-6.
At the start of the third, Dylan Woodhead put through a goal on a rebound, and two minutes later Ryder Dodd tipped in a blocked shot for an extra player goal to put the U.S. ahead, 9-8 — its first lead since early in the first quarter. Greece quickly responded with a penalty shot to tie the score for the fifth time, and added two more goals to go into the fourth up 11-9.
Ioannis Fountoulis scored midway through the fourth to put Greece up by four, their largest lead of the game.
Max Irving and Alex Bowen led the U.S. with two goals each. Both of Bowen's scores came on penalty shots. Weinberg had eight saves in goal.
“The little things added up, whether in defense, offense or transition, but I was proud of how we kept fighting," Hallock said. “But in the end, we tried to finish so many high percentage shots.”
Zerdevas had a tournament-high 16 saves. Stylianos Argyropoulos Kanakakis led all scorers with four goals.
Greek defender Genidounias Konstantinos said building defensive momentum is key for the team as they try to improve upon a silver medal in the Tokyo Games.
"We really showed up in defense today. Our five-on-six defense was amazing, especially at the end of the game," he said. “In order to move on in this tournament, you need to build the momentum, especially in defense... In the past, that is what has given us wins and medals, and if we want to get there again, it's great defense that'll make that happen.”
The U.S. (1-2) will need to get back in the win column with two games remaining to avoid elimination after pool play. They'll next take on Montenegro on Saturday at 10:35 a.m. ET.
“It's a decisive game and could decide who's going to move on from the group," Hallock said of Game 4. "It could be win or go home, we know that.”
“Montenegro is really good team, but we're going to be ready," Weinberg said.
Greece (3-0), the team atop the Group A standings, will face defending world champions from Croatia on Saturday at 6:05 a.m. ET.