FIN 3:2 USA | Finland - USA (Hlinka Gretzky Cup)

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Finland – USA	3:2 (after OT)	\|	Switzerland – Sweden2	3:2 (end)	\|	Slovakia2 – Russia	1:2 (end)
Czech Republic – Canada2	0:4 (end)

final/OT

Finland

3:2 (0:1, 1:0, 1:1)

USA

Monday 05.08.2013, 14:00 • EASTON Arena • Hlinka Gretzky Cup

		Welcome. This game starts at 14:00 CEST, 08:00 EDT.
		Good afternoon and welcome to EuroLiveScores coverage of the opening game of the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. We are live from Piestany, Slovakia, where in ten minutes the United States will face off against Finland.
		The referees are on the ice, and so are the American team. Alex Nedeljkovic starts in goal for the U.S. The Plymouth Whalers netminder started 31 games last season in total in the OHL.
		Starting in goal for Finland is the Espoo Blues netminder Kaapo Kahkonen.
	00:01	Game started.
	2:00	Open start to the game. The United States went offside twice early on, but no shots on target. The closest we've had to a shot so far was when Jarkko Parikka skated with speed into the U.S. zone, but was dealt with easily by Ryan Mantha,
	05:54	Minor penalty to USA's Joseph Snively for hooking. Finland to the power play.
	08:00	The United States scored with eight minutes gone in the first period. Portland Winterhawks forward PAUL BITTNER put the puck in the net for the U.S. just as a penalty expired for the away side. We sincerely apologise for the lack of updates during the first ten minutes, due to technical difficulties.
	12:16	Penalty to Finland. Jarkko Parikka sits for two for delay of game.
	14:16	Finland back to full strength
		Before Bittner's goal, Finland were close to opening the score, as Joona Jaaskelainen's shot from the left wing circle forced a good glove save from Nedeljkovic.
	16:20	Finland's top line puts pressure on the U.S. Good puck possession by Rantanen and Lammikko pins the States in their own zone. Eventually the puck is worked back to the point but Chase Phelps is able to block the shot and clear the zone.
	16:28	Penalty to Finland. Two minutes for too many men. Sebastian Aho serves the penalty.
	17:09	The United States yet to get good zone pressure on the powerplay. They go offside with 1:19 left on the man advantage.
	17:20	The U.S. goes offside once more.
	18:20	Nick Schmaltz gains the zone for the U.S. and exchanges passes with Robert Nardella at the point but once again Finland are able to repel the U.S. attack
	18:28	Finland back to full strength.
	19:08	Fantastic save in the final minute. The game is wide open and the United States have a great chance on the counter attack. A 2 on 1 develops and Dylan Malmquist gets the puck in front of goal, but a sprawling Kahkonen sticks out his left pad to make the save
	20:00	1st period finished.
		It's been a game of few chances so far, as both teams on the whole have been able to cancel each other out. The first line of Rantanen, Lamsa and Lammikko has looked lively for Finland, but it is the United States who lead thanks to Paul Bittner's eighth minute goal.
		Bittner's goal came on the powerplay, albeit a very brief one, as Joseph Snively's penalty expired a few seconds before Bittner put the puck away. At the time Miro Keskitalo was in the box for a tripping infraction
		The officials are back on the ice for the second period.
		Both teams are back on the ice as well. We're almost ready to go for the second period from the opening game of the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
	20:15	Kahkonen plays the puck round from behind his goal. Puck cleared to neutral zone
	20:35	Goal for Team Finland! Thirty-five seconds into the second period and Finland equalise. Finland gained the offensive zone, and the top line, who impressed in the first period lights the lamp. Mikko Rantanen is all alone at the back door and tucks the puck away. Assist to Juho Lammikko
	21:34	Shot by Jake Wahlin from the right wing circle is gloved and held by Kahkonen
	23:15	U.S. captain Ryan Wagner gains the zone and tries to put it away at a tight angle, but Kahkonen is able to parry the puck away
	23:40	Jere Rouhiainen gains the zone with the puck and fires a bouncing shot at Nedeljkovic who spills the puck but Nick Wolff is able to get his stick to the puck first and clear it from danger. Lammikko has a shot later in the shift but Nedeljkovic makes the save and freezes the puck
	24:45	Penalty to the United States. Nick Wolff gets a two minute penalty for holding
	25:02	Shot by Kalapudas saved by Nedeljkovic but Finland retain zone pressure
	25:25	Ryan Mantha clears the puck from the zone and the U.S. are able to change
	25:46	Finland go offside. 59 seconds left in Wolff's penalty.
	26:10	Tight angle shot by Rantanen misses the target
	26:35	Finland pile the pressure on late in the powerplay. Good work by Lamsa in front of goal, but his backhand shot is saved by Nedeljkovic.
	26:45	U.S. back to full strength
	28:25	Penalty to Finland. Atte Makinen gets two minutes for interference.
	29:10	U.S. hit the post! Fantastic puck work by the States and Schmaltz's pass from the left wing finds Kyle Connor alone at the back post, but he rings the pipe with his shot!
	29:41	Another great chance for the States. A fantastic block by Rouhianen is the only thing that keeps the United States from re-taking the lead.
	30:25	Finland back to full strength
	30:39	The United States ice the puck
	31:02	Joseph Snively brings the puck into the Finland zone with speed but his wrist shot is blocked by the skate of Keskitalo
	31:46	The United States have the momentum at present. They are getting a lot more puck possession in the Finnish zone.
	32:12	Big hit by Keegan Iverson on Kimi Leppavuori in the Finnish zone
	32:19	Penalty to the United States. Chase Phelps gets two minutes for holding.
	32:24	A wrist shot from the point by Sami Niku is parried by Nedeljkovic five seconds into the powerplay
	33:24	Shorthanded counter attack by the States. Jake Wahlin wheels into the zone and fires a wrist shot looking for the top right corner, but Kaapo Kahkonen denies him with a flash of the glove
	34:19	The U.S. are able to kill Phelps' penalty with relative ease.
	34:57	Fantastic save by Kahkonen. Kyle Connor sends a pass from the right wing corner right onto the tape of Nick Schmaltz at the back post, but Kahkonen makes a sprawling pad stop and is able to freeze the puck in the ensuing scramble.
	36:44	Great hands by Walterri Hopponen in the United States zone, taking the puck to the point and then back into the slot, but Alex Nedeljkovic makes a routine save on his backhand attempt.
	36:48	A Ville Vainola point shot straight off the faceoff is deflected out of play.
	37:10	Nick Wolff's attempted dump in sails out of play
	39:00	Final minute in the second period.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
		Time draws to a close in a thrilling second period, which saw Finland equalise just 35 seconds in. TPS forward Mikko Rantanen, who played 15 games in the SM-Liiga last season tucked the puck away at the back post to level the score in the period's opening minute.
		The second period was a more open affair than the opening frame, with both teams having a good number of chances. Mid way through the period, Kyle Connor rang the base of the post with a one timer attempt, while Kaapo Kahkonen has been the busier of the two netminders. The Espoo Blues goaltender made a fantastic pad save with five minutes left in the period, sprawling to deny Nick Schmaltz.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	40:41	Early shot by Kyle Connor is blocked by the leg of Sami Niku
	42:51	Keegan Iverson stands up Manu Honkanen in the neutral zone
	43:45	Good work by Mikko Rantanen behind the goal, who is able to work the puck to Ville Vainola. However the defenceman's shot is blocked.
	44:29	2 on 1 counter attack for the States, but Austin Poganski's centering feed is blocked expertly by a sliding Sami Niku.
	44:38	Finland calls a time out.
	44:51	Brandon Carlo's point shot is saved by Kahkonen.
	46:01	United States go offside on the right wing.
	46:46	Finland try to gain the zone but end up going offside.
	47:30	The United States go close once more, but Kahkonen continues to frustrate the U.S. forwards.
	47:43	Goal for Team Finland! After U.S. pressure, Finland go on the counter attack and score from a broken play. The Finns gain the zone and the initial shooting attempt is blocked, but Jokerit forward MIRO MAKINEN gets his stick to the puck near the left wing circle and it ends up in the back of the net. Assist to Antti Kauppinen
	49:40	A shot off the draw in the U.S. zone is gloved by Nedeljkovic. Some pushing and shoving after the whistle as Hopponen crashes the net.
	52:10	Robert Nardella looks to fire a hammer from the point, but his stick breaks on the shot.
	53:18	Finland force a turn over in the U.S. zone, but Alex Nedeljkovic makes a fantastic blocker save on Joona Jaaskelainen's shot from the point, deflecting the puck over the glass.
	54:47	The United States are having the better of the offensive zone possession. The line centered by Cody Milan creates chances but the puck is just not bouncing in the United States' favour at present.
	55:16	Mikko Rantanen breaks into the zone on a 1 on 2 counter, does well to get to the centre but in the end the puck is knocked away by Ryan Mantha.
	56:52	It's now or never for the United States. Markus Haapanen is sent to the box for an interference penalty in the neutral zone.
	56:52	The U.S. calls a time out.
	57:21	Goal for Team USA! The U.S. make the powerplay count! First he hit the post and now KYLE CONNOR makes good on the man advantage, tucking the puck away at the back door.
	58:00	Final two minutes in the second period.
	58:26	Jake Wahlin gets a shot away but Kahkonen denies the U.S. forward.
	59:04	Finland will have a powerplay for the rest of regulation, that is if they don't score first. Good puck movement by Finnish captain Manu Honkanen forces Kyle Connor to take the hooking penalty.
	59:30	Delayed penalty against the U.S.
	59:36	A two man advantage for Finland now. Jack Dougherty is sent to the box for a slashing infraction, giving Finland 24 seconds of 5 on 3 powerplay to close out the third period.
	59:42	The U.S. clear the zone.
	59:51	Once again the U.S. clear the zone and force Finland back into their zone.
	60:00	3rd period finished.
	60:01	Overtime began.
	60:31	No shots as yet for Finland. The States have cleared the zone twice.
	60:59	Goal for Team Finland! Finland find a way through and take the two points. WALTTERI HOPPONEN lights the lamp with a wrist shot from the left wing circle.
		Game over.
		M.V.P for Team U.S.A – Joseph Snively.
		M.V.P for Team Finland – Kaapo Kahkonen (16:09:43)

Commentary by

Jon Rowson

@jonrowson

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 8. Bittner (Nardella, Mantha), 21. Rantanen (Lammikko), 48. Makinen (Kauppinen), 61. Hopponen – 58. Connor

Finland: Kähkönen (Voutilainen) – Väinöla, Rouhiainen, Niku, Tervo, Keskitalo, Leppävuori, Parikka, Haapanen – Rantanen, Lämsä, Lammikko – Kiviranta, Honkanen, Jääskeläinen – Hopponen, Kalapudas, Aho – Kauppinen, M. Mäkinen, A. Mäkinen.

USA: Nedeljkovic (Weyrick) – Haydon, Mantha, Dougherty, Nardella, Carlo, Wolff, Rosburg – Poganski, Schmaltz, Connor – Wahlin, Snively, Bittner – Iverson, Wagner, Phelps – Dudek, Milan, Malmquist – Turgeon.

Referees: Novák, Stano – Výleta, Orolin

1st period
	05:54
	08:00
	12:16
	16:28
1st intermission
2nd period
	20:35
	24:45
	28:25
	32:19
2nd intermission
3rd period
	47:43
	56:52
	57:21
	59:04
	59:36
After 3rd period
Overtime
	60:59
Final/OT