Day 2 at #WorldJuniors: Hlavaj and Wolf backstop wins
The 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship continued Friday with four teams taking to the ice:
Slovakia 3 vs. Kazakhstan 1
Slovakia began play at the World Juniors on a high note following Friday’s 3-1 win over Kazakhstan.
Opening the scoring for Slovakia was forward Oliver Okuliar of the Lethbridge Hurricanes who lit the lamp early into the middle frame that also drew an assistant from Maxim Cajkovic of the Saint John Sea Dogs. Slovakia then scored twice more before Kazakhstan added one of its own.
Sherbrooke Phœnix netminder Samuel Hlavaj earned Player of the Game honours for the Slovaks turning aside 22 shots.
Slovakia returns to the ice Saturday versus Finland while Kazakhstan’s next game comes Sunday against the Finns.
United States 6 vs. Germany 3
Team USA picked up its first win at the World Juniors on Friday following a 6-3 decision versus Germany.
Leading the Americans to victory included Los Angeles Kings prospect Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs as well as Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick Nick Robertson of the Peterborough Petes, both of whom picked up an assist as the U.S. rallied for four unanswered markers en route to the victory.
Calgary Flames prospect Dustin Wolf of the Everett Silvertips, who leads the CHL with a .941 save percentage, made 17 saves in his Team USA debut.
The U.S. will try for its second straight win Sunday versus Russia while Germany plays the Czech Republic a day earlier.
For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and #WorldJuniors.