December, 28, 2003 U.S. National Junior Team Shuts Out Second Consecutive Opponent HAMEENLINNA, Finland -- The United States National Junior Team defeated Slovakia, 5-0, here this evening in the second of its four Preliminary Round games in the 2004 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. Team USA moves to 2-0-0, without having allowed a goal. U.S. forward Zach Parise (Faribault, Minn./Univ. of North Dakota) scored his fifth and six points of the tournament with a goal and assist, while teammate Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill./Univ. of Michigan) posted his second shutout in net, making 18 saves.
We had great energy in the first period, said U.S. head coach Mike Eaves (Madison, Wis.). We played the way we needed to, just wore them down and chipped away, and got the victory.
David Booth (Sterling Heights, Mich./Michigan State Univ.) opened the scoring for Team USA with his first goal of the tournament at 8:05. Taking the faceoff, Jake Dowell (Eau Claire, Wis./Univ. of Wisconsin) won the draw cleanly back to Booth, who took one step inside the faceoff circle and fired a shot through traffic and behind Slovakian goaltender Jaroslav Halak. The U.S. had a number of chances in the first frame, outshooting Slovakia 17-3 in a spirited period.
The U.S. extended its lead to 2-0 in the second, another physical frame, though Slovakia generated significantly more offense than in the first. Brady Murray (Faribault, Minn./Univ. of North Dakota) took a pass then split the defense and drove hard to the net, a play that resulted in a power-play goal credited to Parise -- at the 7:00 mark.
The third period continued with more of the post-whistle skirmishes that characterized the preceding frames, with the U.S. scoring three goals, including another on the power play.
Two of Team USAs final three markers were the result of pucks bouncing the teams way. Murray was in the right place at the right time when a Slovakian clearing attempt deep in their zone ricocheted off the forechecking winger and into the back of the net at 4:32 of the third. On the fifth U.S. tally, at 10:23, Stephen Werner (Chevy Chase, Md./Univ. of Massachusetts) batted in his own rebound from out of the air to close out the scoring.
The Murray and Werner strikes sandwiched perhaps the games niftiest goal. Ryan Kesler (Livonia, Mich./Manitoba Moose), surrounded by three defenders, chipped a puck from the slot into the top left corner at 8:15. Minutes later an Ivan Baranka high stick resulted in a facial laceration to Keslers face that forced him to depart the game. The forwards status for the next game is unknown.
In Helsinki, Canada defeated Switzerland, 7-2, during the early Pool B game with one more game in each venue Sunday evening. The U.S. next plays Sweden at 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Each U.S. game is being exclusively audiocast on USA Hockeys website, usahockey.com. GAME SUMMARY Slovakia 0 - 0 - 0 -- 0
United States 1 - 1 - 3 -- 5 First Period: Scoring: 1, USA, Booth (Dowell). Penalties: Meszaros, SLO (interference), 0:26; Stehlik, SLO (high sticking), 12:41; Werner, USA (Roughing), 14:28; Baranka, SLO (roughing), 14:28. Second Period: Scoring: 2, USA, Richmond (Wisniewski), 7:00 (pp). Penalties: Ruzicka, SLO (hooking), 5:09; Hruska, SLO (cross checking), 9:10; Likens, USA (hooking), 13:39; Wisniewski, USA (holding the stick), 14:13; Troliga, SLO (Roughing), 14:13; Balaz, SLO (Elbowing), 16:47; Booth, USA (slashing), 19:59. Third Period: Scoring: 3, USA, Murray (unassisted), 4:32. 4, USA, Kesler (unassisted), 8:15 (pp). 5, USA, Werner (Parise) 10:23. Penalties: Parise, USA (roughing), 6:55; Blaho, SLO (cross checking), 6:55; Meszaros, SLO (roughing), 6:55; Baranka, SLO (high sticking), 11:43; Baranka, SLO (high sticking), 13:43; Eaves, USA (elbowing), 16:23; Troliga, SLO (roughing), 19:01; Potter, USA (roughing), 19:01; Balaz, SLO (roughing), 19:34; Baranka, SLO (high sticking), 13:43; Potter, USA (roughing), 20:00; Troliga, SLO (roughing), 20:00. Shots: SLO: 3 - 9 - 6 -- 18. USA: 17 - 13 - 13 -- 43 Goaltenders: SLO: Halak (43 shots, 38 saves). USA: Montoya (18 shots, 18 saves). Referee: Vladimir Sindler. Linesmen: Derek Doucette, Stefan Fonselius |