David Pastrnak spoils Jeremy Swayman's World Championship.

The beauty of a league like the National Hockey League is that the best players from all around the world can come together and form formidable teams to compete for the most glorious prize in the sport of hockey, the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately though that can also mean that players who spend entire seasons competing alongside one another can end up clashing when it comes time to play on the international stage.

Such was the case on Sunday when Boston Bruins teammates David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman went head to head when the United States of America faced off against Czechia in the Bronze Medal game of the 2022 International Ice Hockey Federation's World Championship. Early on it looked like it would be Swayman that would play spoiler for Pastrnak when the Americans took an early 3 - 1 lead in the game, but thanks in large part to Pastrnak the Czechnians would rally in the third period.

As I mentioned Pastrnak played a big role in the rally from Czechia, and he started that really by tying the game after less than a minute had been played in the game's third period. Pastrnak would beat his Bruins teammate who looked up at the sky in disbelief after the puck managed to find it's way past him.

Unfortunately for Swayman, Pastrnak would show him no mercy. Pasta would go on to record an additional 2 goals during the third period, completing the hat trick, and every single one of those goals would come against Swayman. The Czechnians would score 7 goals overall, with Swayman facing 32 shots in the game, snatching the Bronze Medal from the hands of the Americans and sending them home empty handed in the process.

Of course it will go down as a disappointing moment in Swayman's career, especially considering the fact that he allowed so many goals after having some solid showings in the tournament including a shutout. Although disappointing I doubt very much that Swayman will hold any ill will towards his teammates, or former Boston Bruins forward David Krejci who also represented Czechia at this tournament and picked up an assist in Sunday's Bronze Medal game.