U.S. back on track
By Andrew Podnieks |
27 DEC 2019
Team USA’s Nicholas Robertson with a scoring chance against German goaltender Tobias Ancicka.
photo: Andrea Cardin / HHOF-IIHF Images
Playing for the second time in as many nights, the U.S. put its tough loss to Canada behind it and skated to a solid 6-3 win over Germany tonight in Ostrava.
The win evened the American record at 1-1 while the Germans were playing their first game. They are right back at it tomorrow afternoon against the Czechs while the U.S. now gets a day off before facing Russia on Sunday.
Trevor Zegras led the way for the U.S. with four assists, and Shane Pinto had his second multi-point game with a goal and two helpers tonight. John Peterka had two power-play goals for the Germans.
"Last night was a tough one, but we were happy to bounce back tonight," said American Curtis Hall. "We were excited to get right back at it. We still didn't play that great, but we have a day off and will use that to get ready for the next one. We need to support each other a bit better, and discipline is a big key."
"We could have been better in the first two periods," Bobby Brink added. "In the third, we kept it simple, played north, played behind them. They came out hard and we came out slow, but in the third we worked down low below the goal line, went to the net well, and created some scoring chances."
"We gave up at the end a little bit, and that's not our way," admitted German forward Tim Stutzle. "But I think our work ethic in the first two periods was excellent. It was a step in the right direction. We have a great group."
The win evened the American record at 1-1 while the Germans were playing their first game. They are right back at it tomorrow afternoon against the Czechs while the U.S. now gets a day off before facing Russia on Sunday.
Trevor Zegras led the way for the U.S. with four assists, and Shane Pinto had his second multi-point game with a goal and two helpers tonight. John Peterka had two power-play goals for the Germans.
"Last night was a tough one, but we were happy to bounce back tonight," said American Curtis Hall. "We were excited to get right back at it. We still didn't play that great, but we have a day off and will use that to get ready for the next one. We need to support each other a bit better, and discipline is a big key."
"We could have been better in the first two periods," Bobby Brink added. "In the third, we kept it simple, played north, played behind them. They came out hard and we came out slow, but in the third we worked down low below the goal line, went to the net well, and created some scoring chances."
"We gave up at the end a little bit, and that's not our way," admitted German forward Tim Stutzle. "But I think our work ethic in the first two periods was excellent. It was a step in the right direction. We have a great group."
Germany vs. USA - 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship
GER vs. USA
The Germans opened the scoring at 3:32 on a power play, and it couldn’t have come on a nicer play. Dominik Bokk made a pass to Stutzle at the left faceoff dot, and he found Peterka to the back side of the play. Peterka controlled the puck and rifled a high shot in from a bad angle.
Of course, the first goal is always important, but this had special meaning. It was the first time since December 26, 2008, that the Germans had scored on the U.S. at the World Juniors. In between the Americans won four games, all by shutout.
Patient, the Americans continued skating and tied the score four and a half minutes later when defenceman Jordan Harris stepped in off the point and snapped a shot past the glove of Tobias Ancicka.
The U.S. took its first lead late in the period when Zac Jones took a sweet little back pass from Zegras skating through the slot. Jones snapped a high shot over Ancicka’s glove again at 18:37.
Teams split four goals evenly in an entertaining middle period. The Germans got the first two to take a 3-2 lead, the first coming at 2:53 on the power play. Moritz Seider’s low point shot went just wide but bounced hard off the end boards and back out to Peterka, who got to it before Dustin Wolf could turn and react in the U.S. goal.
Six minutes later, the Germans took another lead off a turnover deep in their end. Lukas Reichel made a long pass to Justin Schutz who moved it quickly to Bokk heading to the goal. Bokk beat Wolf with a nice shot at 8:36 to make it 3-2 for the Germans.
But the Americans kept at it and got the lead back before the end of the second, Zegras having a hand in both goals. On the first, his shot was stopped by Ancicka, but the goalie couldn’t control the rebound and Pinto was there to sweep it in.
Then, with less than two minutes to go, Zigras made a great reverse pass behind the German goal and Hall had plenty of net to hit.
"There are always momentum shifts in a game," Hall noted. "Last night we were up 2-0 against Canada, so we know anything can happen. We stuck with it and were patient."
The Americans added to their lead midway through the third with another power-play goal, this off a rebound by Brink. Oliver Wahlstrom added a sixth goal at 10:51.
Of course, the first goal is always important, but this had special meaning. It was the first time since December 26, 2008, that the Germans had scored on the U.S. at the World Juniors. In between the Americans won four games, all by shutout.
Patient, the Americans continued skating and tied the score four and a half minutes later when defenceman Jordan Harris stepped in off the point and snapped a shot past the glove of Tobias Ancicka.
The U.S. took its first lead late in the period when Zac Jones took a sweet little back pass from Zegras skating through the slot. Jones snapped a high shot over Ancicka’s glove again at 18:37.
Teams split four goals evenly in an entertaining middle period. The Germans got the first two to take a 3-2 lead, the first coming at 2:53 on the power play. Moritz Seider’s low point shot went just wide but bounced hard off the end boards and back out to Peterka, who got to it before Dustin Wolf could turn and react in the U.S. goal.
Six minutes later, the Germans took another lead off a turnover deep in their end. Lukas Reichel made a long pass to Justin Schutz who moved it quickly to Bokk heading to the goal. Bokk beat Wolf with a nice shot at 8:36 to make it 3-2 for the Germans.
But the Americans kept at it and got the lead back before the end of the second, Zegras having a hand in both goals. On the first, his shot was stopped by Ancicka, but the goalie couldn’t control the rebound and Pinto was there to sweep it in.
Then, with less than two minutes to go, Zigras made a great reverse pass behind the German goal and Hall had plenty of net to hit.
"There are always momentum shifts in a game," Hall noted. "Last night we were up 2-0 against Canada, so we know anything can happen. We stuck with it and were patient."
The Americans added to their lead midway through the third with another power-play goal, this off a rebound by Brink. Oliver Wahlstrom added a sixth goal at 10:51.
Germany vs. USA - 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship
OF