USA 0:4 1CA | USA - Canada2 (Hlinka Gretzky Cup)

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

USA – Canada2

0:4 (end)

Russia – Czech Republic

2:3 (end)

final

USA

0:4 (0:1, 0:1, 0:2)

Canada2

Saturday 10.08.2013, 15:00 • Hlinka Gretzky Cup

		Welcome. This game to decide the champion of the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup starts at 15:00 CEST, 09:00 EDT.
		Good evening, and a very warm welcome to www.eurolivescores.com coverage of the gold medal game of the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. It's the U.S.A. vs Canada here in Piestany.
		The U.S. return to Piestany after finishing top of Group B and then defeating the Czech Republic last night. Canada defeated Russia 3-1 yesterday afternoon to secure their place in the gold medal game.
		It's Alex Nedeljkovic vs Julio Billia in the battle of the goalies today. Also, in positive news, there are using an alternative scoreboard after last night's massive thunderstorm knocked out the main one.
		And both teams take to the ice
		Time for the national anthems
		Anthems completed, we're about ready to go
	00:01	Game started.
	00:20	Watson gets an early chance with a wrist shot from the slot but Nedeljkovic makes a good early blocker save.
	00:49	Canada ice the puck
	01:21	Hicketts knocks down Schmaltz with a big hit as the American forward crosses the blue line
	01:56	Wagner does well with the puck on his stick gaining the blue line. His wrist shot deflects off the leg of Pilon and out of play
	03:01	U.S. go choice. Schmaltz tries to find Bittner with a centering pass but the feed is just off target
	03:58	Goal for Team Canada! Canada take the early lead less than four minutes in. MICHAEL DAL COLLE picks up the pick in the American zone, after a drop pass by Spencer Watson and he wires a hard wrist shot which goes top corner glove side on Nedeljkovic
	04:28	First penalty against Canada. Robby Fabbri for slashing
	04:56	Dougherty works the puck from the point to Kyle Connor on the right wing. The American shooter fires but Billia makes the save and freezes the puck
	05:21	Canada are able to clear the zone. U.S. PP looked good in the early stages. Have to get set up again
	05:36	However, they end up icing the puck
	06:28	Canada kill Fabbri's penalty
	06:40	Bennett hits Clark Bishop with a stretch pass as the latter gains the zone. He can't take the puck on his tape though, and the breakaway chance goes begging as Nedeljkovic is able to play the loose puck
	07:11	Icing by the U.S.
	07:16	Good pad save by Nedeljkovic on Dal Colle off the draw
	08:14	Alexis Pepin's attempted dump in goes sailing over the end boards and hits the mesh
	08:37	Keegan Iverson tries to get a shot away but it's blocked by the leg of Ryan Pilon
	08:49	The Americans ice the puck again
	08:54	Canada wins the draw cleanly. Hicketts finds Ekblad at the left point who one times a low hard shot. Nedeljkovic does well to make the save and hold the rebound
	09:50	Rourke Chartier's shot is blocked by the leg of Aaron Haydon
	10:04	Penalty against the U.S. Poor offensive zone trip by Keegan Iverson draws the referee's whistle
	10:10	Dal Colle almost has his second, but he can't get his stick to the rebound as he skated through the crease
	10:27	Watson tries to jam the puck in shortside but Nedeljkovic holds his right post well to keep it out
	11:13	Sam Bennett winds up and fires a slapshot from the right wing circle but it misses the left post by quite a margin
	11:43	The U.S. are able the clear the zone
	11:57	Tight angle shot by Virtanen is stopped by Nedeljkovic, who is forced to hold the puck as two Canadians crash the net
	12:11	Iverson's penalty expires and Paul Bittner enters a 2 on 1 with his Portland Winterhawks teammate. However, Iverson is ahead of the play and goes offside. Bittner gets the shot away a far few seconds after the whistle, which draws a talking to from the officials but no call
	12:33	Clark Bishop's low shot on the turn just misses wide and pings off the side of the goal
	13:03	Good save by Billia on Austin Poganski.
	13:12	Jayce Hawryluk fells 6'5'' Brandon Carlo with a hit in front of the Canadian bench
	13:42	Canada ice the puck
	14:09	Jayce Hawrlyuk is down in the Canada zone after taking a legal hit.
	14:09	Hawrlyuk is able to get back onto his skates himself, but he's certainly looking worse for wear as he leaves the ice
	14:57	Aaron Haydon backhands a puck on net from the left wing but Billia makes the save
	15:10	A great hit by Nick Wolff on Clark Bishop in the neutral zone.
	15:18	The U.S. then ice the puck
	15:30	Schmaltz with a great pokecheck to knock the puck off of Ekblad's stick as the Canadian defenceman was making a move to the net
	15:44	Nedeljkovic gets his glove over the puck. A slow whistle means Bennett gets a few whacks at his glove, causing Wolff and Haydon to to take offence and get a few shoves in
	16:35	Canada have the U.S. pinned in their own zone
	17:54	Penalty against Canada. Robby Fabbri is handed a minor slashing penalty.
	18:25	Fantastic pad save by Billia on a Dougherty shot from the point. Simply stunning play by Schmaltz before that to set up the shot.
	19:00	Final minute in the first period.
	19:37	The U.S. carry the puck offside. 17 seconds left in Fabbri's penalty
	19:51	And then they go offside again.
	20:00	1st period finished.
		It's 1-0 Canada after twenty minutes in Piestany. Michael Dal Colle scored with a wicked wrist shot in the fourth minute. It's been an even game, although in all honesty the Canadians have looked the more threatening side going forward. Both Billia and Nedeljkovic have had to make a couple of good saves.
		Both teams are back on the ice for the start of the second period.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
	20:54	Great play by Dougherty, winning the puck off of Clark Bishop
	21:30	Canada ice the puck. Slow start to this second period
	21:50	Dudek tries to backhand a shot on goal but Hicketts cuts it out and clears the danger
	22:56	Another icing call. Rosburg's pass misses it's intended target
	23:24	Great save by Nedeljkovic on a shot by McCann on the turn, the U.S. goalie kicking it away with his left pad
	23:37	And now the United States go offside
	23:45	Straight off the draw, Canada ice the puck
	24:30	Wolff gets a point shot from half boards with Bittner in front. It deflects off the big American's leg and just wide. Billia didn't see it.
	24:56	Great pressure by the U.S. Wolff has another shot which is saved by Billia.
	25:15	Canada are able to clear their zone. Their counter-attack ends up being whistled up for an offside call though
	25:28	Billia shines once again. Ryan Wagner pounces on the turnover in the neutral zone, breaks into the zone and moves to the left circle. He fires a wrister destined for the top corner, but Billia flashes the leather to make the save
	26:10	Spencer Watson hammers a slapshot off the mark from the right wing
	26:16	Off the draw, Alexandre Carrier lets rip with a booming slapshot that just goes wide. Later in the shift he gets nailed by Rosburg in the neutral zone
	26:55	Icing call against the U.S. Ryan Mantha and Jake Virtanen were having a heated exchange in the neutral zone but the linesmen step in and send both players on their merry way.
	28:27	Hicketts sends the Hail Mary stretch pass looking for Bishop but it goes offside.
	28:52	Two poor plays on this shift by Ekblad, both times unable to keep the puck in the zone
	29:11	Canada have the U.S. scrambling in the zone. Great work by the Bennett line. The puck is worked back to the point and Hicketts is about to let rip with the slapshot but the referees whistle up Bishop for being in the crease.
	29:59	U.S. captain Ryan Wagner does very well to work the puck out of the right hand corner. He moves to centre and fires a wrist shot which Billia shoulders away. Canada counter attacks but Dal Colle's original shot goes just wide of the left post.
	30:35	Off the draw, Pilon has a shot which Nedeljkovic gloves but drops. Luckily for the American keeper, Bob Nardella gets his stick to the puck first to clear it from danger
	31:01	A giveaway by Nardella in his own zone gives Canada a great opportunity. Robby Fabbri gets the wrist shot from close range which Nedeljkovic shoulders away
	31:23	Goal for Team Canada! They were getting the momentum in the second period, and now Canada have a commanding lead over the U.S. It's JAYCE HAWRYLUK who gets the shot which goes five hole on Nedeljkovic.
	31:33	Straight after the goal, Nedeljkovic is forced into action once more, making the save on Jared McCann
	31:46	Quick update: Shots on goal in the first were 10-7 in Canada's favour
	32:30	Announced as Joe Hicketts who got the assist on Hawryluk's goal
	34:00	Bittner gets a shot away as he gains the blue line but it cannons off the leg of Roland McKeown
	34:17	The Americans look a tired team out there. Had a tough time with the Czechs last night and it shows
	35:50	Good Canadian spell of pressure in the American zone
	36:14	Bennett finds Ekblad who ghosted from the point to the backdoor unnoticed. Great save by Nedeljkovic to deny him.
	36:24	Nedeljkovic makes another save and holds on to the puck
	36:50	Hawryluk goes close to getting his second, but Nedeljkovic stops his wrist shot
	37:38	Bittner optimistically fires a shot from a tight angle with Turgeon standing in front of goal. Billia is aware to the danger and makes the save.
	37:46	Haydon drills Watson into the boards in front of the American bench Great hit. Watson gets a chance later in the shift streaking in on Nedeljkovic, but the American netminder somehow keeps it out
	39:00	Final minute in the second period
	40:00	2nd period finished.
		That's your lot after forty minutes in the gold medal game in Piestany. Once again it's been a tight game, but Canada just seem to have that little bit more quality in front of goal. Jayce Hawryluk scored in the 32nd minute, beating Nedeljkovic five hole to double Canada's lead. The U.S. need a miracle now.
		The players are back on the ice for what could be the last twenty minutes
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		The shots on goal through two periods are Canada 23 U.S.A 13.
	40:37	The U.S. take the puck offside on their first foray forward in the third
	40:47	The U.S. defenceman are still hitting hard. Dougherty ploughs into Dal Colle.
	41:52	Wagner gets a shot away from the left wing but it goes wide of the right post
	42:45	Virtanen takes the puck offside. Him and Wahlin have some words after the whistle.
	42:54	Billia gloves a Chase Phelps wrist shot
	43:46	Bennett skips around Brandon Carlo, but just loses the handle as he tries to backhand it on goal
	44:22	Kyle Connor takes the puck offside
	44:42	Brayden Point gets a shot on the turn which Nedeljkovic saves.
	44:53	Offensive zone penalty against Jake Virtanen. He hooks over Jack Dougherty
	45:35	Canada are easily able to clear their zone
	46:53	Penalty killed. The U.S. created little on that chance.
	47:05	Canada send the puck up the ice to Virtanen out the box. He dishes on a 2 on 1 to Bishop. The Canadian forward goes in alone on Nedeljkovic, but the American goalie drops to the ice and kicks away the backhand effort with a superb save
	48:25	Ekblad moves with the puck from the point, showing soft hands, but his centering feed can't find another white jersey
	49:15	Canada ice the puck
	50:00	We're into the final ten minutes of the second period. The U.S. are trying but they don't look like they have the legs to get back in the game
	51:01	Cody Milan fires wide on a wrist shot from the left wing circle
	51:28	Haydon does well blocking Chartier's centering feed with his leg. Bishop was all alone at the back post
	52:03	Penalty coming against the U.S. Aaron Haydon gets a two minute boarding penalty
	52:29	Goal for Team Canada! That's pretty much game, set and match for Canada now. The puck is deflected back out to the point, and AARON EKBLAD lets rip with an absolute howitzer of a one timer which goes off the crossbar and in.
	53:01	Virtanen gets a backhand shot on goal but Nedeljkovic makes the save.
	54:00	Spencer Watson tries to create room and get the shot away but the combination of Carlo and Rosburg do enough to knock the puck away.
	54:17	Goal for Team Canada! Relentless forechecking by Canada and they've got their fourth. It's BRENDAN LEMIEUX who is jogging on the spot at the back door, and Nedeljkovic is able to make the first save but Lemieux pots the rebound.
	55:30	The U.S. are still going. Dylan Malmquist has a chance close to Billia but the Canadian shot stopper easily makes the save.
	56:03	Brayden Point tries to work the puck round behind Nedeljkovic's goal but it deflects off the leg of Carlo and out of play
	57:37	The Americans ice the puck.
	58:00	Final two minutes in the third period
	59:03	Billia makes a save, knocking the puck over the glass with the blocker. The only suspense is whether or not he gets the shutout
	59:16	And now the U.S. go offside
	59:34	Long shot by Wolff is kicked away by Billia
	60:00	Game over.
		That's your lot. Two third period goals through Aaron Ekblad and Brendan Lemieux lift Canada to a 4-0 victory over an exhausted looking Team U.S.A., and it's the Canadians who take the gold medal at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, their sixth straight gold medal at this tournament
		M.V.P. for Team U.S.A. – Austin Poganski
		M.V.P for Team Canada – Brayden Point (17:07:30)

Commentary by

Jon Rowson

@jonrowson

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 4. DalColle (Watson), 32. Hawrlyuk (Hicketts), 53. Ekblad (Point, Watson), 55. Lemieux (Point, Watson)

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

Canada2: Billia (McDonald) – Hicketts, Ekblad, Fleury, Mckeown, Pilon, Carrier, Neill – Chartier, Bennett, Bishop – Audette, Point, Watson – Dal Cole, Fabbri, Virtanen – Lemieux, McCann, Hawrlyuk, Pepin – Head Coach: Dale Hunter

Referees: Konc D., Konc J. – Orolin, Vyleta

1st period
	03:58
	04:28
	10:04
	17:54
1st intermission
2nd period
	31:23
2nd intermission
3rd period
	44:53
	52:03
	52:29
	54:17
Final