January, 3, 2004

U.S. National Team To Appear In First Gold Medal Game Since 1997

HELSINKI, Finland -- The United States National Junior Team defeated host Finland, 2-1, here this evening in the Semifinal Round to advance to the gold-medal game for the first time since 1997 -- and only the second time ever -- at the 2004 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. The victory guarantees Team USA a tie for its highest finish ever - silver in 1997 - and sets-up a showdown for the gold medal with rival Canada on Mon., Jan. 5 at 11:30 a.m. EST. The game will be televised live on NHL Center Ice and audiocast on www.USAHockey.com.

The 10-nation tournament features the world's top ice hockey players under 20 years of age, and the U.S. owns an undefeated 5-0-0 mark.

"It could have been one of the toughest games of their lives," said U.S. head coach Mike Eaves (Madison, Wis.). "When you play in a country like Finland where hockey is part of the lifestyle -- and this place was packed tonight -- you have to think our players responded very well."

For the third time in as many games, Team USA scored perhaps its biggest goal while killing a penalty. With Corey Potter (Mason, Mich./Michigan State Univ.) in the penalty box for roughing, Stephen Werner (Chevy Chase, Md./Univ. of Massachusetts) broke up a play at Finland's point and started a rush with Zach Parise (Faribault, Minn./Univ. of North Dakota). When Werner dropped a backhand pass to Parise and cut to the center, Parise returned the puck and Werner gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead.

Finland generated a number of scoring opportunities throughout the game, while Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill./Univ. of Michgan) was repeatedly tested. This included an important stop under a minute into the game, on a two-on-none in the second period, and a handful of others while moving across the net.

The second period continued at an even pace (neither team outshot the other by more than two in a frame), with the score remaining 1-0 entering the third.

Team USA would extend the lead late in the contest. Greg Moore (Lisbon, Maine/Univ. of Maine) found Dan Fritsche (Parma, Ohio/Columbus Blue Jackets) splitting the defense and sent him into the zone. Fritsche kicked a bouncing puck from his skate to his backhand, quickly moved it to his forehand and beat goaltender Hannu Toivonen before running out of room.

Finland closed the lead with less than a minute to play, and the crowd, which had made its presence felt from start to finish, responded with its loudest cheers of the night. After pulling its goaltender while skating on a power play, Finland, playing six-on-four, moved the puck low to Montoya's left and Valtteri Filppula snuck a puck to Teemu Nurmi, who scored at 19:01 of the third. Montoya and Team USA closed out the victory 59 seconds later to set up the meeting with Canada.

"It was the kids' job to play the game tonight," said Eaves. "Now, it's the coaches' job to go do some homework and try to create a gameplan. The kids are satisfied, and a little drained, but now we can see the top of the mountain."

NHL Center Ice is available in the United States on satellite via DIRECTV and Dish Network, and on digital cable through iNDEMAND.

GAME SUMMARY

Finland 0 - 0 - 1 -- 1
United States 1 - 0 - 1 -- 2

First Period: Scoring: 1, USA, Werner (Parise), 8:31 (sh). Penalties: Potter, USA (roughing), 7:10; Jalasvaara, FIN (interference), 14:02; Parise, USA (slashing), 18:53.

Second Period: Scoring: None. Penalties: Lepisto, FIN (hooking), 5:22; Lepisto, FIN (high sticking) 9:23; Eaves, USA (slashing), 10:24; Carle, USA (interference), 15:06; Kantee, FIN (interference), 15:53.

Third Period: Scoring: 2, USA, Fritsche (Moore, Booth), 14:07. 3, FIN, Nurmi (Filppula, Lepisto), 19:01. Penalties: O'Sullivan, USA (high sticking), 17:13.

Shots: FIN: 7 - 11 - 8 -- 26. USA: 9 - 13 - 7 -- 29.

Goaltenders: FIN: Toivonen (29 shots, 27 saves). USA: Montoya (26 shots, 25 saves).

Referee: Derek Herman. Linesmen: Miroslav Halecky, Mikael Ljungqvist.