Silver medalist Cayden Helwich from the USA cried after the lost final: Next time, we’re going for gold, he promised

You played a very tough match against Czechia in the gold medal game, which you lost. What was missing?
We didn’t get in front of the net enough, we lacked grit, and we didn’t shoot enough. We didn’t cover the players in front of our net. The opponent simply worked harder. We didn’t show what we had been doing all week. And that cost us the result. We didn’t give a 100% effort, and this is what happens when you don’t give it your all – you lose. We need to be better, that’s it.

In your opinion, what were the biggest mistakes in your performance?
Definitely turnovers. There were too many of them. We made poor decisions in transition and didn’t look for our teammates. That’s what cost us the game.

What was decisive in this battle?
We didn’t come in with enough energy and intensity. We didn’t start the game at full throttle. That’s it. We didn’t bring the game that had been working for us throughout the tournament.
If you could change something, what would it be?
I’d gather the guys, remind them to keep their heads up, make crisper passes, and drive to the net more. That’s what we were missing, and that’s what cost us the win.

Both goalies were named players of the game. Was the finals mostly about them?
Yes, both played great. Their goalie had an excellent performance, made a lot of great saves. Our goalie Cameron also played really well. But we didn’t help him enough in front of the net.

Was it difficult playing in front of a home crowd?
Yeah, it was a bit tough. But before the game, I told the guys – do you hear that noise? Imagine they’re cheering for us. That helped us early on, but then they scored a few goals, and our heads went down.

It hurts now, but how do you evaluate your team’s performance in the tournament overall?
It hurts, but we’ll be back. And next time, we’re going for gold – I promise.

You were named the tournament’s best defenseman, which is definitely an honor. Why do you think they chose you?
Maybe because I gave it everything I had, sacrificed my body, and did what needed to be done. That’s probably the reason.

Cayden Helwich celebrates after scoring in the semifinal against Canada. Photo: Vojtěch Zajíc