Recap: Team USA (3) vs Team Canada (1)

Team USA 3 Team Canada 1

It was a long time coming, but Team USA took down Team Canada Saturday afternoon in the prelims of the World Junior Championship.

It took 6 days into the World Junior Championship, but Team USA and Team Canada finally hit the ice to play one another. The first period was everything Team USA could have wanted and the exact opposite for Team Canada. Each team came out and played very physical, but when the first 2 minutes was up, Team USA found themselves ahead 2-0. Collin White and Jordan Greenway each had PP goals and Team USA surprisingly went into the locker room up by 2 goals. Team Canada had their chances, but Team USA shut down the tournament’s top PP unit and killed a 5 on 3 to keep Canada off the scoreboard.

Team USA played with fire in the second as Luke Cunnin earned himself a 5 minute major for interference and a game misconduct putting Team USA at a distinct disadvantage. The United States weathered most of that storm until Charlie McAvoy took a 2 minute tripping penalty and the US PK luck finally ran out. Dylan Strome and Matt Barzal fed Thomas Cabot and Team Canada cut the US lead to 2-1. In past years this would have had the feeling of the tide turning, but for this period at least, Team USA remained unfazed. Jeremy Bracco kept the puck in Team Canada’s zone and he collected a rebound on the door step and fired home the 3rd goal for Team USA.

The third period started with a USA PP which Team Canada promptly killed, keeping the US squad off the scoreboard. For a final stanza between these two teams there wasn’t much drama. Team USA had 2 more PP opportunities and got nothing and Team Canada failed on it’s one extra man situation of the period. Joesph Woll came up with some big saves in the period, keeping Team USA firmly in lead and the United States held on to defeat Team Canada 3-1.

Team USA moved to 4-0-0 and Team Canada fell to 3-1-0.