U.S. Embassy in Prague knocks Russian hockey team after defeat by Czechs

The Czech Republic's national hockey team defeated the Russian Olympic Committee 6-5 in a wild game yesterday at the Beijing Olympics. But it was the U.S. Embassy in Prague that added a little salt to the wound.

The Czech Republic and the ROC traded goals over the first two periods, with the Czech team the first to score on Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov at this year's Olympic tournament. A five-minute power play at the end of the second period saw the Czechs score two goals and take a 3-2 lead.

The ROC battled back to take a 5-4 lead in the third period, but the Czech Republic's Tomáš Hyka closed out regulation with a goal of his own to tie things up and send play into overtime at 5-5.

Lukáš Šulák scored a power play goal with 30 seconds left in the five-minute overtime period to give the Czech Republic a victory. The overtime victory was the second straight for Czech team following a defeat of Switzerland earlier in the tournament.

The overtime defeat at the hands of the Czechs was the first for the ROC, who shut out both Denmark and Switzerland earlier in the preliminary tournament.

But it was the U.S. Embassy in Prague that added a little salt to the wound on social media after the game, taking a dig at the Russian team's competition moniker ROC.

“Even a small country can do great things!" The U.S. Embassy wrote on Facebook, congratulating the Czech team. "But what is ROC? We couldn't find their flag...”

Of course, Russian athletes at the Olympic Games are competing under the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) name following a doping scandal and suspension by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

While Olympic play between nations remains (mostly) friendly, tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine. Both the United States and Czech Republic have now advised their citizens living in Ukraine to return home as Russian troops amass at the border.

The Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Yevhen Perebyjnis, also took to social media to congratulate the Czech hockey team on their victory over the Russians yesterday.

"Congratulations to the Czech national hockey team for a fantastic win over neutral athletes from Russia!" Perebyjnis wrote on Twitter.

"It was a well-deserved victory that greatly encouraged us Ukrainians as well. We also take it as an expression of support and solidarity with Ukraine at this difficult time for us."

Despite the overtime defeat at the hands of the Czechs, the Russian team maintains the best record in Group B at the Olympics preliminary tournament with two victories and one overtime loss, and will automatically advance to the quarterfinals, which begin on Tuesday.

The Czech Republic, meanwhile, finishes the Group B preliminary games with two overtime wins and one loss, and must play a single playoff game on Monday to advance to the next round.