Justin Adamo scored two first-period goals to lead France to a 4-2 win over Poland in Ostrava tonight. The three points move France out of last place with the Poles and tied for fourth with the United States. Poland are bottom with just one point from three games.
„It was a good game for us,” said France captain Sacha Trail. „We started it the right way and that helped us the other way. They came back hard in the second and third end, but overall we did a good job. We’re satisfied with the three points. In our first two games, we fought hard but didn’t get many points on the scoreboard.”
„It’s one of those games where we know we have to win, but our aim is to be in the top pool, so who knows what we can do after that?” Trail continued. „So far, so good. It’s a tight group and we feel like if we play the right way, we can beat anybody.”
The French got the start they wanted thanks to a timely burst of pace midway through the first period from Adamo. He scored with 8:47 to run down the right wing and beat John Murray with a backhand after whizzing between his pads.
Less than three minutes later, Adamo scored a very neat goal, but it counted all the same. He put his big body close to the blue ice, and when defender Yohan Awuwidu hit a wrist shot it bounced off Adamo’s chest.
The second game looked like France would run away. They made it 3-0 when Stefan da Costa’s high wrist shot on the short side deceived Murray, and Poland coach Robert Kalabar withdrew Murray in favor of Tomas Fusic, making his team debut.
The change was no big deal, it seemed, and France soon made it 4-0 on the power play again. Da Costa was the set-up man this time, delivering a nice pass that feathers in front of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who directs the puck back past Fucic.
But in that period, a mistake by France goalkeeper Sebastien Lonan brought the Poles to life. He fumbled behind his goal and it came in front, and Dominic Bass picked it up at 16:08. Fucic then saved the match. Down and out, he swung around and made a glove save on a determined goal from Da Costa.
Inspired, Poland scored again, this time with a header in their own end. They erupted quickly, and Bartos Frasco made a play on Yolonan under the glove at 17:39.
Poland played well in the third game, but France played well within their ranks to hold on for the win, not only to go to the best group for 2025, but even to the quarter-finals this year.