USA Overpowers Sweden, 10-2, at 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp
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Press Release from USA Hockey
USA Overpowers Sweden, 10-2, at 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp
Team USA Scores Four Power-Play Goals
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Team USA overran Sweden, 10-2, thanks to a six-goal spree in the second period here today at Herb Brooks Arena at the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (Margate, Fla.) led all scorers with two goals, both on the power play, and one assist. The United States capitalized on four of its five power plays, while killing six of Sweden’s seven man-advantages.
“We knew were playing against a very talented Sweden team and I don’t think the score was any indication of how we thought the outcome was going to be, but I’ll give credit to our guys; we stuck to a team game,” said Phil Housley, head coach of the 2013 U.S. National Junior Team. “We focused on trying to elminate them in the defensive zone because we know how well they can cycle the puck. For the most part I thought our transition game was excellent. Another key was our special teams. We had some excellent (penalty killing) and some opportunistic goals on the power play and our goaltending was solid.”
Of the 34 players still in camp, 23 dressed in today’s game. The group is auditioning for the U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship , Dec. 26, 2012-Jan. 5, 2013, in Ufa, Russia.
The U.S. and Sweden traded power-play goals midway through the first period. Gostisbehere put Team USA up 1-0 with a one-timer at 9:23, while Sweden responded at 13:26. John Gaudreau (Carneys Point, N.J.) put Team USA ahead for good at 19:04, handcuffing the Swedish goalie with a wrister to the glove side.
On two occasions in the second period Team USA posted a pair of goals separated by mere seconds. Vince Trocheck (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Alex Galchenyuk (Milwaukee, Wis.) each crashed the crease to score at 1:31 and 1:52. Gostisbehere and Nicolas Kerdiles (Irvine, Calif.) stretched the lead to 6-1 on goals at 6:19 and 6:43 to make it 6-1.
To conclude the six-goal outburst in the middle frame, Tyler Biggs (Binghamton, N.Y.) roofed a backhand shot at 15:16 and J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) notched a power-play goal at 18:28.
Sweden ended the seven-goal run by the U.S. in the opening minute of the third period.
Jacob Trouba (Rochester, Mich.) scored on a blast from the blue line at 7:42 and Sean Kuraly (Dublin, Ohio) tallied in the final minute of play to comlete the 10-2 rout.
Goaltender John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) played the entire game, making 35 stops.
Team USA has tomorrow off before wrapping up the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp on Saturday, Aug. 11, vs. Finland at 1 p.m.
First Period – Scoring: 1, USA, Gostisbehere (Trouba, Kuraly), 9:23 (pp); 2, SWE, Zibanejad (Lundberg, Bengtsson), 13:26 (pp); 3, USA, Gaudreau (Reilly), 19:04 (pp). Penalties: SWE, Forsberg (hooking), 3:11; SWE, Sudqvist (holding), 7:43; USA, Boucher (slashing), 12:00; USA, Gostisbehere (delay of game), 12:28; SWE, Vikstrand (interference), 17:17.
Second Period – Scoring: 4, USA, Trocheck (Kerdiles), 1:31; 5, USA, Galchenyuk (Gostisbehere, Miller), 1:52; 6, USA, Gostisbehere (Boyd, Pietila), 6:19 (pp); 7, USA, Kerdiles (Grzelcyk, Biggs), 6:43; 8, USA, Biggs (Gaudreau), 15:16; 9, USA, Miller (Galchenyuk, Reilly), 18:28 (pp). Penalties: SWE, Lundberg (high sticking), 4:20; USA, Jones (tripping), 9:42; USA, Grzelcyk (high sticking), 15:45; SWE, Team (too many men), 18:04.
Third Period – Scoring: 10, SWE, Nermark (Gortz), 0:59; 11, USA, Trouba (Pietila, Boyd), 19:19. Penalties: USA, Biggs (roughing), 12:46; USA, Sieloff (high sticking), 13:20; USA, Lucia (tripping), 15:47.
