Photo courtesy of Scott Roblin

By Scott Roblin

Czech-Mate

Second period barrage guides USA to first victory at World U17 Hockey Challenge

Nov 3, 2019 | 7:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It wasn’t until the second period, but the sleeping giant that was the United States U-17 hockey team awoke from their slumber Sunday.

Team USA (1-0-0-0) found the back of the net seven times in the middle frame alone, winning their first game at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge over the Czech Republic (0-0-1-0) 10-1.

“We like to just get pucks deep, wear teams down, and then eventually capitalize on when they’re tired,” said United States forward Ryan St. Louis. “That’s what we did and that’s why get to win 10-1.”

Despite the lopsided score, it was the Czechs finding the back of the net first with centre Petr Moravec leading a rush on his first shift of the game and scoring only 35 seconds into the opener.

The United States’ prowess on the cycle would open up a shooting late four minutes later however, with Chaz Lucius finishing off a power play with the tying goal.

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Tied at 1-1 into the second period, the Americans came out of the intermission buzzing and took their first lead of the afternoon with Tyler Boucher going top shelf on Daniel Kral from two feet away.

That goal opened the floodgates for Team USA with Dylan Duke and Ty Gallagher also scoring within the following five minutes to see the Americans take a 4-1 lead over the Czechs.

“In the first period we were a little slow getting up,” said American defenceman Luke Hughes. “But, in the second we pounded it on and played pretty well.”

Kral’s afternoon would come to an end at the 7:16 mark, as Liam Gilmartin let a wrist shot go from the right face-off circle to chase the Czech netminder and give the USA a four-goal lead.

The switch to Tomas Suchanek did little to stop the bleeding for the Czech Republic, letting in the first shot he faced to Jack Hughes with Gallagher adding his second of the game a few minutes later.

Sean Behrens brought the period to a merciful conclusion with a laser beam of a wrist shot from the high slot, putting the United States up by an 8-1 count after 40 minutes.

“In the second period it wasn’t really our game,” said Czech defender David Spacek. “We didn’t play our hockey that we said in the locker room that we wanted to play and it looked like that.”

More scoring would come the way of the Americans in the third period courtesy of a backhand tuck by Lucius four minutes into the final frame, netting his second goal on Sunday.

One last goal would come off the stick of St. Louis with a shorthanded snipe on a breakaway with 3:13 remaining, pushing the United States into double-digits and a convincing win in their first game.

“We got a lot of momentum in the second especially with the first shift we scored a goal,” said St. Louis. “We poured it on in the second, a couple goals in the third. So, the team is rolling high right now.”

Lucius was crowned USA’s player of the game with two goals and three points on the afternoon, while the same honours went to Martin Rysavy of the Czech Republic and his one assist.

Between the pipes Gibson Homer had a quiet game with just one goal allowed on 18 shots, while Kral and Suchanek combined to face 34 shots from the Americans in their first game.

The regulation win pushes the United States into first place in Group ‘A’ with three points, while the Czechs have dropped to fourth with their loss.

“Definitely good confidence for the team,” said St. Louis. “Everyone should be feeling good about themselves now. Just got to make sure we bring that into the next game against Canada.”

Rivalry renewed

Photo courtesy of Hockey Canada / Twitter

Fabian Lysell had a tournament opener to remember in Swift Current, scoring three goals for Sweden (1-0-0-0) in a 6-4 victory against longtime rivals Finland (0-0-1-0) in Group ‘B’ action Sunday.

The 16-year-old Lysell scored twice in the second period against Finland and added the eventually game-winning tally early in the third to help the Swedes to three points.

Finland was tops in the first period though, leading in shots 14-9 at the intermission and holding a 1-0 lead thanks to a wrist shot from the slot seven minutes in by Verner Miettinen.

Like the Americans in Medicine Hat, the Swedes came out of the break with their forwards firing as Marcus Limpar Lantz and Lysell boosted their country into the lead 2-1 less than four minutes in.

Samu Salminen was able to bring the score even thirty seconds after Lysell’s marker, before his teammate Samu Tuomaala made it a 3-2 game for the Finns with a snipe off the wing.

Sweden was finally able to get back on track midway through the period with a goal by Simon Robertsson, which was followed by a power play goal from Lysell three minutes later to give the Swedes a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.

Lysell completed the hat-trick 3:55 into the third period off an offensive zone face-off to make it a 5-3 game and give Sweden some breathing room.

Brad Lambert was able to bring Finland to within a single goal with one minute remaining in regulation with a bad-angle shot, but Sweden’s Victor Stjernborg countered with a goal of his own 12 seconds later to secure the victory for his side.

Swedish netminder Carl Lindbom made 33 saves on the afternoon to pick up the win, while Finland’s Juuso Helomaa allowed six goals on 30 shots against.

Winning their first game of the tournament, Sweden is tied with Canada Red for first in Group ‘B’ with three points, followed by Finland and Russia with both sitting at 0-0-1-0 records.

All eight World Under-17 Hockey Challenge teams will be in action on Monday with Medicine Hat hosting Canada Black versus the Czech Republic at 1:00 pm and Canada White versus the United States at 7:00 pm.

Across the border, Russia and Finland face off in Swift Current at 1:00 pm and Canada Red and Sweden doing battle in the evening tilt at 7:00 pm.