Slovakia2 – Russia 2:5 (end) | Finland – Switzerland 9:3 (end) | Canada2 – USA 11:5 (end)
Czech Republic – Sweden2 4:3 (end)
final
Canada2
11:5 (3:1, 5:2, 3:2)
USA
Friday 15.08.2014, 17:30 • Hlinka Gretzky Cup
     
    Welcome. This semifinal game starts at 17:30 CET, 11:30 ET, 08:30 PT.
     
    We're 30 minutes before the start of the game and both teams are on the ice for pre-game warmups.

    Canada is designated as the home team this game and are wearing their two-tone red and black uniforms with white trim, and "CANADA" spelled diagonally from the right shoulder. The USA is designated as the visiting team and wearing white uniforms with blue and white trim and "USA" spelled in an arc across the chest.
    Scott Wheerel: The US is the only country in the tournament that consistently doesn't send its best draft-eligible talent to Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
     
    Canada won all three games in the group stage over Switzerland, Sweden and Slovakia by identical 5-1 scores. They feature a balance attack, as no player has more than 4 points -- Mathiew Barzal and Tyler Soy each have 1 goal and 3 assist. Zach Sawchenko played in the first two games and Callum Booth in the third.

    The USA lost its first game 4-2 to the Czech Republic but then beat Russia 7-4 and Finland 9-4, so they feature some offensive firepower. Thomas Novak leads all scorers in the tournament with 7 points (2+5), while Brock Boeser and Dennis Yan both have 6. Evan Sarthou played all three games in goal.
    USA on the left, CAN on the right, 20+ minutes before faceoff
     
    Starting Lineups:

    Canada: Sawchenko (Booth) – Roy, Spencer – Meloche, Brisebois – Hobbs, Bear – Vande Sompel, Beauvilier – Crouse, Roy, Merkley – Knott, Strome, Mamer – Harkins, Barzal, Konecny – Soy, Stephens, Musil

    USA: Sarthou (Jurusik) – Wilkie, Dello – Blaisdell, Cecconi – Olson, Gabriele – Gates, Young – Yan, Novak, Boeser – Jackson, Laczynski, Terry – Filipe, Moore, Swaney – Bachman, Foley, Smith

    Referees: D. Konc, J. Kunc – L. Kacej, J. Tvrdoň.
     
    "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" have been played and we're moments away from the opening faceoff.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    Nick Merkley of Canada with the first shot on goal, save Sarthou, Canadians jam the crease and play is stopped. Faceoff outside.
     
    00:50
    Goal for Team Canada!
    The Canadians going hard to the net this game and it's DYLAN STROME that gets the first goal in the first minute.
    Assists: Mitchell Marner, Graham Knott.
     
    03:25
    Goal for Team USA!
    THOMAS NOVAK uses his speed to beat everybody to the outside, cut in on goal and beat Sawchenko on the forehand deke to tie this game – his 8th point of the tournament.
    Assists: Spenser Young, Grant Gabriele.
     
    04:10
    Americans going for more, Laczynski from a weak angle, pad save Sawchenko.
     
    04:55
    Nicholas Swaney tries to go upstairs, swatted away by Sawchenko.
     
    05:47
    Novak tries to cut in again, this time Bear keeps him to the outside and his backhander hits the side of the net, Sawchenko covers.
     
    06:20
    Wrister from Lawson Crouse streaking down the right wing, hits Sarthou in the shoulder and he holds for a faceoff.
     
    06:30
    US rush, Jackson to Novak, pad save Sawchenko.
     
    07:12
    Mitchell Marner jumps on a turnover in the US zone, makes a move and tries to fire it upstairs but Evan Sarthou makes a glove save and holds it.
     
    07:25
    Icing USA.
     
    07:55
    Konecny fires a wrister high and wide.
     
    09:55
    Backhander from Dennis Yan hits the side of the net, Canadian line of Crouse, Roy, Merkley quick on the counter and Sarthou makes another save and hags on.
     
    11:00
    Tory Dello with a slapper from the point, blocked and Canada back the other way.
     
    11:19
    It's Harkins, Barzal, Konecny out there and Sarthou makes another glove save and hangs on.
     
    12:15
    Big hit in the corner by Matt Filipe on Jeremy Roy.
     
    12:48
    Offside Canada.
     
    13:09
    Americans putting on some pressure, Spenser Young with a wrister from the point, Sawchenko deflects it out of play.
     
    13:50
    Nick Merkley hammers Tory Dello behind the US net.
     
    14:33
    Goal for Team Canada!
    What a pretty passing play for this line, which scores its second of the game. Marner with the pass to DYLAN STROME going to the net and he one-touches it inside the post.
    Assists: Mitchell Marner, Graham Knott.
     
    15:29
    Offside USA.
     
    16:20
    Wrister from Barzal, stick save Sarthou.
     
    16:45
    Spencer from the point, another save Sarthou.
     
    17:23
    Americans having trouble getting the puck out of their zone, finally Evan Sarthou covers the puck.
     
    17:34
    Nicolas Meloche is getting the game's first penalty of the game for hooking. Robert Jackson was trying to get free and he put a hook on him.
     
    17:55
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Shorthanded 2-on-1 for Canada, Stephens feeds JANSEN HARKINS, who buries it.
    Assist: Mitchell Stephens, Guillaume Brisebois.
     
    18:29
    Offside USA with 1:04 left in their power play.
     
    19:03
    Slapper from Zach Wilkie, deflected wide.
     
    19:39
    Just after the penalty expired Zach Wilkie pinched in and fired a hard, high wrister but Zach Sawchenko made a big glove save.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    So one period is finished in Piestany and it's a good one for Canada, who take a 3-1 lead. Dylan Strome with the first two Canadian goals and then Jansen Harkins short-handed to give them the two-goal lead. Tournament scoring leader Thomas Novak scored the US goal.

    Shots on goal: CAN 16, USA 10.

    Quality scoring chances: CAN 4, USA 2.

    2nd period begins at 18:16 CET, 12:16 ET, 09:16 PT.
    US trails Can 3-1 after 1st.
     
    The teams are returning to the ice and the 2nd period will start in about one minute.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    21:07
    Nic Roy with a wrister through a crowd off the shoulder of Sarthou.
     
    22:15
    Terry Troy cuts into the Canadian zone, fires a wrister wide of the far post.
     
    22:35
    The puck is now deflected out of play in the Canadian zone, faceoff inside.
     
    22:44
    Americans keep the pressure up, Sawchenko makes a pad save off Moore.
     
    23:49
    A long suicide pass to Jansen Harkins and Spenser Young absolutely levels him with an open-ice hit near the US blueline. Play is stopped and Harkins helped to the bench. No penalty on the play. Faceoff in the Canadian zone.
     
    24:07
    Merkley with a long wrister, hits Sarthou in the chest and he holds it.
     
    24:13
    J. Roy with a slapper from the point, blocked in front.
     
    24:40
    Goal for Team USA!
    There was a delayed penalty coming to Canada and the puck came to BROCK BOESER right in front, who went upstairs to beat Sawchenko.
    Assists: Dennis Yan, Thomas Novak.
     
    25:00
    Now Canada is getting a penalty as Adam Musil goes off for holding, so the Americans coming on early in the 2nd.
     
    26:25
    Harkins back on the ice for the penalty kill, and he leads another shorthanded rush. Stephens' shot goes off Sarthou and out of play, so faceoff in the US zone with :35 left in the penalty. What a PK tandem these two are.
     
    26:35
    Now we have another Canadian penalty and it's Lawson Crouse, so the US will have a 5-on-3 for :25.
     
    27:10
    Scramble in front of Sawchenko, Novak tries to jam it in but forced behind the net, Musil back on the ice, Canad 1 man short.
     
    27:45
    Canada clear it the length of the ice.
     
    28:08
    Soy almost gets free shorthanded but Tory Dello puts a hook on him and gets called. Not quite free enough for a penalty shot. We'll play 4-on-4 for :27.
     
    28:15
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Canada with possession off the attacking zone faceoff and Merkley feeds MATHIEW BARZAL, who beats Sarthou short side. 4-on-4 play continues.
    Assist: Nick Merkley.
     
    28:50
    Canada now to the per play but a bad pass to the point goes all the way back to their own zone.
     
    29:00
    Now Nick Merkley is in all alone but he fires high.
     
    29:45
    Puck deflected out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside with :23 left in the penalty.
     
    29:50
    One-time blast from the point by Connor Hobbs but Sarthou gets across to make a pad save.
     
    29:58
    Goal for Team Canada!
    DYLAN STROME takes a pass and his one-time blast makes it 5-2 Hat-trick for Strome. Power-play goal.
    Assists: Nicolas Meloche, Connor Hobbs.
     
    29:58
    Team USA is now making a goaltending change. Out is Evan Sarthou and in is Matthew Jurusik.
    Scott Wheeler: Dylan Strome really coming alive, showing why he's one of 2015's best as he completes the hat-trick. 5-2 Canada.
     
    30:46
    Canada is called for offside and then there's some pushing and shoving after the whistle and Jeremy Roy is getting a penalty for roughing. US to the power play and the faceoff moves to the Canadian zone.
     
    31:00
    Goal for Team USA!
    That didn't take long. The pass across to TANNER LACZYNSKI and he one-timed it home before Sawchenko could slide across. Power-play goal.
    Assists: Terry Troy, Dello Tory.
     
    31:54
    Harkins carries it down the left wing, pad save Jurusik on his wrister.
     
    32:16
    Goal for Team Canada!
    The goals coming fast and furious here in the second period and it's captain TRAVIS KONECNY that fires a low shot that beats Jurusik.
    Assists: Jansen Harkens, Ethan Bear
     
    33:04
    Novak with a wrister from the slot, right on Sawchenko holds.
     
    33:30
    Canadian 2-on-2, Marner to Strome going for 4 but he one-times it just wide.
     
    33:55
    Strome with another drive but Jurusik makes a pad save.
     
    34:49
    Puck deflected out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside.
     
    35:20
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Canadian offence really stepping into high gear now. A beautiful three-way passing play finishes with TRAVIS KONECNY one-timing in his 2nd of the game. No chance for Jurusik at all.
    Assists: Jansen Harkins, Mathew Barzal.
     
    36:24
    Shot by Boeser is deflected out of play, faceoff in the Canadian zone.
     
    37:10
    Ryan Moore with the wrister from the left wing, right on Sawchenko, who freezes.
     
    38:16
    Breakaway for Mathew Barzal, tries to go five-hold but Matthew Jurusik closes it, then Musil gets knocked into Jurusik and everybody comes in. No penalties but the faceoff is going outside.
     
    38:41
    Barzal again on a partial break this time town the right wing, tries a fake to make Jurusik open the five-hole but doesn't work and he covers.
     
    39:16
    2-on-1 USA but Boeser couldn't corral the pass and doesn't get a shot away.
     
    39:25
    Goal for Team Canada!
    After the missed US, chance Canada is back quick on the counter and LAWSON CROUSE carried it all the way and scores on a low wrister.
    Unassisted.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
    Scott Wheeler: Crazy period of hockey. Seven goals in total.
     
    A wild period with 7 goals, 5 of them for Canada and they now have a strangle-hold on this game. Dylan Strome already has a hat-trick and had a couple of good chances at a 4th.

    Shots on goal in the 2nd period (and game): CAN 17 (33), USA 7 (17)

    Quality scoring chances: CAN 9 (13), USA 4 (6).

    3rd period begins at 19:07 CET, 13:07 ET, 10:07 PT.
     
    The teams are returning to the ice and the 3rd period begins shortly.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    40:42
    Puck out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside.
     
    41:18
    Icing Canada.
     
    41:42
    Wilkie with the low wrister at one end, kicked out by Sawchenko and Jansen Harkins sprung on a breakaway the other way. Save Jurusnik. What a wide-open game.
     
    42:04
    Goal for Team Canada!
    When it rains, it pours. Canada's 4th line gets into the act, with ADAM MUSIL putting in a rebound.
    Assist: Connor Hobbs, Mitchell Stephens.
     
    42:10
    Icing Canada.
     
    44:00
    Puck out of play in the USA zone, faceoff inside.
     
    44:53
    Puck again out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside.
     
    45:13
    Backhander from Tyler Soy, caught and held by Jurusik.
     
    45:53
    Big hit by Mathew Spencer on Erik Foley right in front of the US bench and he has some trouble getting up. The physical aspect of this game seemed to go away as it became a one-sided track meet, but maybe this will re-ignite it.
     
    46:15
    Knott with a long wrister, pad save Jurusik.
     
    46:35
    Americans back the other way, Swaney's shot goes high.
     
    47:28
    High wrister from Novak, Sawchenko swats it away with the glove. The puck comes to him again and he covers.
     
    48:05
    US pressure continues, Boeser rips a low shot wide.
     
    48:30
    The other way, Nic Roy's shot hits Jurusik and is cleared away.
     
    48:56
    Back to the Canadian zone again, Jackson with a low slapper, Sawchenko deflects it out of play.
     
    50:01
    3-on-2 US rush, Jackson across to Wilkie for the one-timer and Zach Sawchenko slides across to make a big save. You can just see the frustration on the faces of the American players.
     
    50:53
    Goal for Team Canada!
    MITCHELL STEPHENS scores the 10th goal with a very stoppable-looking wrister to the glove side of Jurusik. Everyone knows this one is over.
     
    51:24
    Goal for Team USA!
    The Americans get that one right back, as Swaney centres from behind the net and KARCH BACHMAN one-times it in.
    Assist: Nicholas Swaney.
     
    51:47
    Karch Bachmann is called for holding, so the Canadians go to the power play, not that they really need it at this point.
     
    53:00
    Moore in front to Swaney as the Americans get a big shorthanded chance.
     
    54:47
    Puck out of play in the Canadian zone, faceoff inside.
     
    55:10
    The US now with a chance on the power play as Guillaume Brisebois takes a tripping penalty.
     
    55:25
    Tory Dello with a shot from the point, pad save Sawchenko and then Canada ice it.
     
    56:09
    Goal for Team USA!
    THOMAS NOVAK with his 2nd goal and 3rd point of the game as he snaps a shot upstairs from the faceoff dot. That's 10 points in the tournament for him. Power-play goal.
    Assists: Grant Gabriele, Brock Boeser.
     
    56:59
    Play in front of the US net, Jurusik covers the puck and we get a bit of pushing after the whistle but nothing much.
     
    58:17
    Offside USA.
     
    59:17
    Goal for Team Canada!
    That was almost an uncontested goal as Canada came in 3 on 1, passed it around at will and TYLER SOY deposited it in the net.
    Assists: Jeremy Roy, Nick Merkley.
    Scott Wheeler: Now 11-5 team Canada in one of the more bizarre hockey games you'll ever see.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    Well, that one didn't have near the drama that many were hoping for in this all-North American semi-final. It was Canada, paced by Dylan Strome's hat-trick, that walked over the US 11-5.

    Canada now advances to the final again, and they'll play the winner of the Czech Republic-Sweden. If the Czechs win, the game will be in Breclav at 17:00 CET, if it's the Swedes, the game will be here in Piestany at 13:00 CET. The US will play the loser of that game for the bronze in the opposite location and time. Right now it's 1-0 Czechs in the 2nd.
    Canada wins it easily 11-5 over USA and advance to play either Czech republic or Sweden in the Memorial Ivan Hlinka Cup final tomorrow. Czech republic leads Sweden 1-0 after one.
     
    Shots on goal in the 3rd period (and game) CAN 15 (48), USA 12 (29).

    Quality scoring chances: CAN 4 (17), USA 4 (10). (19:49:33)
    Commentary by

    Derek OBrien

    CZ@@Djob76

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 1. Strome (Mitchell, Knott), 15. Strome (Marner, Knott), 18. Harkins (Stephens, Brisebois), 29. Barzal (Merkley), 30. Strome (Meloche, Hobbs), 33. Konecny (Harkins, Bear), 36. Konecny (Harkins, Barzal), 40. Crouse, 43. Musil (Hobbs, Stephens), 51. Stephens, 60. Soy (J. Roy, Merkley) – 4. Novak (Young, Gabriele), 25. Boeser (Yan, Novak), 31. Laczynski (Troy, Tory), 52. Bachman (Swaney), 57. Novak (Gabriele, Boeser)

    Canada2: Sawchenko (Booth) – J. Roy, Spencer – Meloche, Brisebois – Hobbs, Bear – Vande Sompel, Beauvilier – Crouse, N. Roy, Merkley – Knott, Strome, Mamer – Harkins, Barzal, Konecny – Soy, Stephens, Musil
    USA: Sarthou, 31. Jurusik – Wilkie, Dello – Blaisdell, Cecconi – Olson, Gabriele – Gates, Young – Yan, Novak, Boeser – Jackson, Laczynski, Terry – Filipe, Moore, Swaney – Bachman, Foley, Smith
    Referees: D. Konc, J. Kunc – L. Kacej, J. Tvrdoň