August 9, 2008
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Two U.S. teams comprised of the top players under the age of 20 swept Under-20 teams from Finland and Sweden here today to conclude the 2008 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp. James van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) netted a hat trick to lead USA White to a 5-2 win over Finland, while USA Blue defeated Sweden, 5-4, in a shootout.   The U.S. teams finished the camp with a 4-1-2-1 overall record, having only posted one regulation loss in the eight international games.   "This was a very spirited camp," said Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "We had 53 talented players who competed hard throughout the week. This was a big first-step in evaluation of those players and deciding who will represent the United States at the World Junior Championship in December. It was another great stay here in Lake Placid and we certainly can't thank the Olympic Regional Development Authority and the Olympic Training Center enough."   In the day's first game, USA White's van Riemsdyk scored a power-play goal on a wrist shot from the right circle at 6:23 of the opening period. After Finland tied the game at 16:50, Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.) scored on a rebound in front of the Finnish net.   Saponari scored his second goal of the game at 6:43 of the second stanza. Less than a minute later, van Riemsdyk streaked up the center of the ice, stopped at the hash marks and put the puck through Finnish goalie Juha Metsola's legs. Finland scored at 16:50 to make it a 4-2 game heading into the third.   In the final period, van Riemsdyk found his hat trick on the power play at 2:48. Already a man down, Finland was charged a delayed penalty call and the United States took advantage, swarming around the Finnish net until van Riemsdyk found the back of the net, accounting for the 5-2 final.   In a very entertaining second game, USA Blue and Sweden continually countered each other with scoring chances. Sweden scored first on the power play as Victor Hedman blasted a slapshot from the top of the point and into the top left corner of the U.S. net at 14:24.   After Sweden took a 2-0 lead at the beginning of the second period, Drayson Bowman (Littleton, Colo.) scored 24 seconds later on a spin-around shot from the top of the right circle. Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) tied the game on a rebound off his own shot at 10:22. Aaron Palushaj (Northville, Mich.) put the U.S. team ahead just 18 seconds later on a quick backhand shot in front of the Swedish net. Sweden tied the game, 3-3, at 17:15 and the score remained tied going into the intermission.   Sweden scored a power-play goal on a U.S. turnover at the U.S. blue line just 37 seconds into the third period. Palushaj scored his second of the game on a pretty play, toe-dragging and manuevering around Swedish defensemen before putting a backhand shot over the blocker of goalie Jacob Markstrom to tie the game, 4-4.   After a scoreless five-minute overtime, the game went to a shootout, where U.S. goalie Thomas McCollum (Sanborn, N.Y.) stood tough before Palushaj clinched the victory with a streaking wrist shot from the hash marks.   NOTES: The 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship will be played in Ottawa, Canada, Dec. 26, 2008 - Jan. 5, 2009.   GAME ONE SUMMARY   Scoring By Period USA WHITE 2 - 2 - 1 - 5 FIN 1 - 1 - 0 - 2   First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, van Riemsdyk (Shattenkirk), 6:23 (pp); 2, FIN, Talonen (Jalo), 16:50; 3, USA, Saponari (Shattenkirk, Long), 19:01. Penalties: FIN, Metsola (delay of game), 5:02; USA, Petrecki (roughing), 7:28; USA, Hayes (tripping), 15:41; FIN, Rask (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:41.   Second Period - Scoring: 4, USA, Saponari (Long, LeBlanc), 6:43; 5, USA, van Riemsdyk (Wilson), 7:17; 6, FIN, Rask (Lahteenmaki),16:23. Penalties: FIN, Team (bench minor), 1:43; FIN, Hyuonen (roughing), 4:13; USA, Hayes (holding), 13:46; USA, Tropp (fighting - match penalty), 18:48; FIN, Lucenius (fighting - match penalty), 18:48; FIN, Jalo (misconduct), 18:48.   Third Period - Scoring: 7, USA, van Riemsdyk (Palmieri, K., Long), 2:48 (pp). Penalties: FIN, Hartikainen (interference), :40; FIN, Tavi (slashing), :53; FIN, Team (too many men), 5:38; USA, Palmieri, K. (hooking), 5:54; USA, Hayes (hooking), 12:51; FIN, Jarvinen (roughing), 18:42.   Shots by Period 1 2 3 Total USA 9 16 17 42 FIN 9 6 10 25           Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total USA, Smith 60:00 9-8 6-5 10-10 25-23 FIN, Metsola 60:00 9-7 16-14 17-16 42-37         Power Play:USA 2-8; FIN 0-4 Penalties: USA 6-35; FIN 10-51 Referees: Sean Davis, Eric Ernst; Linesmen: Tom George, Justin Lyle   GAME TWO SUMMARY   Scoring By Period USA BLUE 0 - 3 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 5 SWE 1 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 4   First Period - Scoring: 1, SWE, Hedman (Erkgards, Persson, A.),14:24 (pp). Penalties: SWE, Moller (holding), 7:04; SWE, Ekbom (tripping), 8:46; USA, Wohlberg (hooking),11:10; SWE, Persson, A. (diving), 11:10; USA, Bowman (hooking), 13:56; USA, Wohlberg (elbowing), 18:05.   Second Period - Scoring: 2, SWE, Lasu (Andersson, Jo., Hjalmarsson), 2:13 (pp); 3, USA, Bowman (Wahl, Palmieri, N.), 2:37; 4, USA, Morin (Wohlberg), 10:22; 5, USA, Palushaj (Comrie), 10:40; 6, SWE, Backlund (Moller, Josefsson), 17:15 (pp). Penalties: USA, Fairchild (holding), 1:29; USA, Palushaj (delay of game), 10:56; USA, Fairchild (tripping), 15:14; USA, Fowler (high sticking), 15:54; USA, Comrie (delay of game), 17:42; FIN, Ullstrom (high sticking), 17:48.   Third Period - Scoring: 7, SWE, Backlund (Moller), :37; 8, USA, Palushaj (unassisted), 13:05 (sh). Penalties: USA, Jenks (cross checking), 1:35; USA, Palmieri, N. (goalie interference), 3:55; FIN, Lasu (high sticking), 5:47; USA, Fairchild (holding), 8:49; USA, Palmieri, N. (roughing), 11:06; USA, Cole (charging - major), 13:50, USA, Cole (game misconduct), 13:50.   Overtime - Scoring: None. Penalties: USA, Palushaj (hooking), 2:41.   GWS - Round 1: SWE, Moller (goal); USA, Wahl (saved); SWE, Josefson (saved); USA, Schroeder (goal); SWE, Hedman (saved); USA, Palusaj (goal).   Shots by Period 1 2 3 OT GWS Total USA 7 15 12 2 1 37 SWE 9 15 16 0 0 40               Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 OT GWS Total USA, McCollum 65:00 9-8 15-13 16-15 0-0 0-0 40-36 SWE, Markstrom 65:00 7-7 15-12 12-11 2-2 1-0 37-32             Power Play:USA 0-4; SWE 3-13 Penalties: USA 13-47; SWE 5-10 Referees:Steve Patafie, Shane Warschaw;Linesmen: Chris Snear, Robert St. Lawrence