Seitz and USA edge Switzerland; Canada stunned by Russia on Day Two of Ivan Hlinka Memorial
via USA Hockey
BRECLAV, Czech Republic – Sasha Chmelevski tallied three points as the United States rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a 4-3 victory over Switzerland in the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
“Our guys didn’t get rattled” said US head coach Clark Donatelli. “We’re working really hard and we found a way to battle back and win today.”
Switzerland jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on a pair of goals scored just 46 seconds apart by Ramon Tanner and Nando Eggenberger, but the United States answered with two first period goals of its own, the first coming from Michael Pastujov who scored 44 seconds after Eggenberger’s tally to halve the Swiss lead. Chmelevski then scored his first of two goals on the day, beating Swiss goaltender Joel Messerli with a wrist shot late in the opening period to tie the game, 2-2.
Switzerland regained the lead on a goal from Sven Leuenberger at 11:20 of the second period. But the U.S. responded again late in the period as Mick Messner intercepted a clearing attempt by Messerli and fired the puck into an open Swiss net to even the score, 3-3, after two periods.
The game remained tied until the waning minutes of the third period when, after a Swiss minor penalty, Chmelevski was credited with a goal at the 13:34 mark after a Swiss defender accidently batted the puck into his own goal during a net-front scramble.
Austin Pratt, Chmelevski and Pastujov each added assists for Team USA.
Goaltender Cayden Primeau made 18 saves for the U.S.
Team USA, now 2-0 in Group A, continues play Wednesday against the Czech Republic at 1:00 p.m. ET. Fans can watch a live stream of the game here.
via Hockey Canada
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – A second-period goal Stelio Mattheos looked like it was going to stand up as the game-winner, but two goals in the final two minutes left Canada with a 2-1 loss to Russia on Tuesday at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
It’s the first time the Canadians have come out on the wrong end of a final score against Russia since the bronze medal game in 2007; Canada is now 11-4 all-time against the Russians in summer U-18 action.
The Canadians had their chances in the first period, firing 19 shots at Artyom Melnikov, but the Russian goaltender was up to the challenge and got the game to the intermission scoreless.
Mattheos struck just 1:18 into the second period, jumping on a rebound at the side of the Russian net and one-timing a quick shot past a diving Melnikov, but that would be it for offence for the Canadians.
Both teams had their chances in the second period, although Canada held Russia to just three shots on goal in the middle frame, and 11 though the first 40 minutes.
But the game opened up in the third, with the teams combining for 32 shots on goal – 17-15 in favour of Russia.
A hooking penalty to Maxime Comtois with less than three minutes to play pushed the momentum to the Russians, and Ivan Chekhovich redirected a Mark Rubinchik point shot past Michael DiPietro, who made his first start in the Canadian goal, with 1:44 left.
Just 37 seconds later, Klim Kostin finished off a give-and-go with Yaroslav Alexeyev to put the Russians ahead.
DiPietro went to the bench in the final minute with the Canadians pressing, but they couldn’t find the tying goal and dropped to third place in Group B with a 0-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.
Canada will need a win in its preliminary-round finale Wednesday against unbeaten Sweden (8 am ET) if its hopes to win a ninth-consecutive gold medal at the tournament.
