(above) The USA celebrates a first period goalFrom: Our Sports Central.com
SASKATOON, Sask. - University of Denver Freshman Matt Donovan scored the game winning goal in the second period to help lead Team USA to a 7-3 victory over Slovakia on Saturday night. Team USA overcame an early two-goal deficit in its first game at the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship.
"I was happy with our resiliancy after falling behind early," said Dean Blais, head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team. "We created a lot of scoring chances, and showed a lot of poise after those two quick goals."
A pair of penalties put the U.S. behind 2-0 just 5:33 into the game. Incoming DU recruit Jason Zucker drilled Slovakia's Martin Stajnoch with a high hit as the Slovak defenseman was bringing the puck out of his own end. Stajnoch was cut badly and was taken to the hospital, and a five-minute major and game misconduct was assessed -- although the referees erroneously gave the penalty to Tyler Johnson.
Team USA cut the Slovakia lead in half midway through the period when John Carlson fired a slap shot through traffic and past goalie Marek Ciliak. Then, just two minutes into the second period, Jeremy Morin knotted the score, 2-2, when he drove to the net, collected his own rebound and fired a shot high over Ciliak's glove.
U.S. captain Derek Stepan gave Team USA the lead when he fired a shot from the slot past Ciliak five minutes into the middle frame. The U.S. took a 4-2 lead on the power play when Donovan's shot from the high slot found the back of the net.
Following a Slovakia power-play goal, Danny Kristo restored Team USA's two-goal lead heading into the third period when he buried a post-to-post pass from Stepan.
Jordan Schroeder extended Team USA's advantage to 6-3, chipping a centering pass from Kyle Palmieri over Ciliak's blocker less than a minute into the third. Jerry D'Amigo, who was named Team USA's Player of the Game, completed the night's scoring on a give-and-go play with Kristo.
Team USA goalie Mike Lee turned aside 17 shots in the win, while Ciliak stopped 39 shots in a losing effort.
Next action for Team USA comes tomorrow (Dec. 27) at 3 p.m. CST against Switzerland. The game can be seen live in the U.S. on the NHL Network. It will also be streamed live in the U.S. on FASTHockey.com.
SASKATOON, Sask. - University of Denver Freshman Matt Donovan scored the game winning goal in the second period to help lead Team USA to a 7-3 victory over Slovakia on Saturday night. Team USA overcame an early two-goal deficit in its first game at the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship.
"I was happy with our resiliancy after falling behind early," said Dean Blais, head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team. "We created a lot of scoring chances, and showed a lot of poise after those two quick goals."
A pair of penalties put the U.S. behind 2-0 just 5:33 into the game. Incoming DU recruit Jason Zucker drilled Slovakia's Martin Stajnoch with a high hit as the Slovak defenseman was bringing the puck out of his own end. Stajnoch was cut badly and was taken to the hospital, and a five-minute major and game misconduct was assessed -- although the referees erroneously gave the penalty to Tyler Johnson.
Team USA cut the Slovakia lead in half midway through the period when John Carlson fired a slap shot through traffic and past goalie Marek Ciliak. Then, just two minutes into the second period, Jeremy Morin knotted the score, 2-2, when he drove to the net, collected his own rebound and fired a shot high over Ciliak's glove.
U.S. captain Derek Stepan gave Team USA the lead when he fired a shot from the slot past Ciliak five minutes into the middle frame. The U.S. took a 4-2 lead on the power play when Donovan's shot from the high slot found the back of the net.
Following a Slovakia power-play goal, Danny Kristo restored Team USA's two-goal lead heading into the third period when he buried a post-to-post pass from Stepan.
Jordan Schroeder extended Team USA's advantage to 6-3, chipping a centering pass from Kyle Palmieri over Ciliak's blocker less than a minute into the third. Jerry D'Amigo, who was named Team USA's Player of the Game, completed the night's scoring on a give-and-go play with Kristo.
Team USA goalie Mike Lee turned aside 17 shots in the win, while Ciliak stopped 39 shots in a losing effort.
Next action for Team USA comes tomorrow (Dec. 27) at 3 p.m. CST against Switzerland. The game can be seen live in the U.S. on the NHL Network. It will also be streamed live in the U.S. on FASTHockey.com.
Box Score
NHL.com Game Recap
USA vs. Slovakia Game Photos
4 comments:
This was the USA lineup against Slovakia.
Forwards
Jerry D'Amigo-Derek Stepan-Danny Kristo
Kyle Palmieri-Ryan Bourque-Jordan Schroeder
A.J. Jenks-Chris Kreider-Jeremy Morin
Jason Zucker-Philip McRae-Tyler Johnson
Luke Walker
Defensemen
David Warsofsky - John Carlson
Cam Fowler - Brian Lashoff
Jake Gardiner - John Ramage
Matt Donovan
Goaltenders
Mike Lee
Jack Campbell
Refs made an error in assigning the major penalty?? I wasn't aware they had WCHA guys working that game.
To add more information to the Johnson/Zucker mixup, Zucker will be credited with the game misconduct, but there isn’t any looming suspension on the way. If he gets a second one, then there would be a suspension.
A lot of viewers over at Hockey's Future felt that Zucker's hit on Stajnoch was legal and that the injury occurred when the Slovak player hit the ice.
The Russian referees only called the penalty after they saw the injury and by then Zucker had skated away. They called the penalty on Johnson who was probably the closest US player to the scene of the crime.
Must have been some WCHA refs and scorekeepers in Saskatoon last night.
LOL
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