Czech hockey coach Hadamczik resigns after Sochi struggles

PRAGUE -- The Czech Republic's hockey federation says coach Alois Hadamczik has resigned following the team's poor performance at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The Czechs were eliminated by the United States 5-2 in the quarterfinals and recorded only two victories in the tournament.

It was the second straight failure for the Czechs following their seventh place at last year's worlds under Hadamczik.

Previously, the Czechs won gold at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, the first games featuring NHL players, and won the bronze medal in Turin in 2006.

Hadamczik was under fire for the team's unconvincing play and many questioned his team selection after he omitted a number of NHL players while including his son-in-law, defenseman Michal Barinka from the Czech league.