Martin Fehervary rips the Tkachuk Brothers after hectic Olympic loss

It was an ugly, bruising semi-final matchup from the opening puck drop. The United States booked their ticket to the gold medal game with a relentless physical assault.

Team USA set the tone early and refused to apologize. Brothers Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk dragged the game into the alley, making life completely miserable for the Slovakian blue line.

Tempers boiled over fast in this one. Multiple ejections followed a massive scrum in the second period as the officials completely lost control of the ice.

Those extracurriculars clearly frustrated the entire Slovakian locker room. Fehervary did not hold back when asked about the constant slashes and face-washes after the final buzzer.

"Everyone knows what the Tkachuks do," the rugged Washington Capitals defender stated flatly to reporters. "It's not going to surprise anyone."

He is completely right about their brand of hockey. Over his NHL career, Brady has amassed 784 penalty minutes, while Matthew sits at a hefty 721. They embrace the villain role.

The United States capitalized on the ensuing chaos beautifully. With 5 assists in just 3 Olympic games so far, Matthew has been driving the offense with crisp passing.

Brady provided the necessary offensive output in the tough areas. He has logged 2 goals and 1 assist in the tournament, dominating the crease and burying rebounds.

Slovakia just could not find any rhythm against that heavy forecheck. Fehervary and his defensive partners were constantly pinned deep, completely unable to generate a sustained transition game.

The Tkachuks thrive in these high-stakes, high-emotion environments. They drew penalties, agitated the international stars, and immediately backed up the trash talk on the scoreboard.

Now, Team USA advances to play for Olympic gold this weekend. They are rolling with unmatched swagger and a punishing defensive structure that no opponent has solved.

Slovakia will have to settle for a bronze medal bid. Because they were ultimately outmuscled by an American squad willing to push every boundary to secure a win.

The upcoming gold medal game promises to be a spectacular tilt. If Friday was any indication, expect the Tkachuk brothers to be starting fires before the anthems even finish.