LAT 1:4 USA | Latvia - USA (World Championship)

World Championship

France2 – Austria	3:1 (end)	\|	Belarus – Slovenia2	4:3 (end)	\|	Germany2 – Russia	1:4 (end)
Switzerland – Canada2	3:2 (after SO)	\|	Latvia – USA	1:4 (end)	\|	Norway – Denmark	3:2 (end)

final

Latvia

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

USA

Sunday 05.05.2013, 19:15 • HARTWALL ARENA • World Championship

		Team USA didn´t impress by some great performance. They will really use the time to set things down. Americans can be glad for points but also know there is lot to do. Contrary, Team Latvia couldn´t be satisfied with a thing. Maybe with a goal but that is all. Honestly, Latvians should improve their performance or this championship will turn into nightmare. Thanks for watching and have a nice rest of the day! (21:26:10)
	60:00	Game over.
	59:54	Stals (LAT) gets a minor penalty for holding an opponent.
	59:30	Last 30 seconds.
	59:01	Danny Kristo tried his luck from the right but Masalskis refused to let another puck go behind him.
	59:00	The last minute of this game.
	58:40	The game is played in the Latvian zone but Americans don´t show any great actions.
	58:00	Two minutes left in this period.
	57:14	Latvians killed this penalty and are at full strength.
	56:50	Americans control the game.
	55:14	Maris Jass (LAT) gets a minor penalty for high sticking.
	54:15	LeBlanc passed to Bobby Butler who fired from the first. Masalskis saved.
	52:21	Goal for Team USA! In my opinion, this game is decided. A shot from the blue line by MATT HUNWICK ended behind Masalskis. Latvian goalie did not have a clear view and could not react to. Assisted by Stastny.
	50:55	Goal for Team USA! Masalskis showed a great reflex after a projectile from the blue line by Johnson, Stapleton tipped the puck in with his leg but against BOBBY BUTLER´s quick rebound was short. A power-play goal for Team USA! Assisted by Stapleton, Johnson.
	50:02	Sirokovs (LAT) gets a minor penalty for elbowing.
	49:34	Trouba fired from the blue line but Masalskis saw the shot very well and had an easy work.
	48:37	A battle of the neutral zone without a winner.
	46:18	Another save for Masalskis. And the 1st commercial break in the 3rd period.
	45:57	LeBlanc passed to McBain but he missed the net.
	45:16	Bobby Butler was caught on the blue line in an off-side.
	44:25	Trouba fired from the blue line and Masalskis kicked the puck out.
	44:17	Moss passed to Stastny who from the middle only stroke Masalskis.
	43:17	Martins Cipulis alone in a break-away. Fired well but Bishop´s glove so much better!
	42:55	Shots on goal so far: 17 – 13.
	42:16	It is understandably, that Team USA doesn´t have to rush anywhere and will rely on good defence.
	41:20	A very cautious start from both sides...
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:00	One minute left in this period.
	38:56	Team USA at full strength.
	38:15	Latvians play this power play too much on boarders, they don´t get to the middle of the zone.
	38:01	Freibergs saved the offensive zone on the blue line.
	37:05	Kulda fired from the blue line, Bishop saved.
	36:42	Latvians at full strength and their power-play starts.
	34:56	However, the power play is over. David Moss (USA) gets 2 + 2 minutes penalty for high sticking.
	34:42	Roberts Jekimovs (LAT) gets a minor penalty for interference. Bishop skated into the corner to fight for a puck and referees give Jekimovs two minutes. Honestly, don´t know where the foul was.
	34:11	U.S. Team at full strength.
	33:31	Cipulis´s big opportunity from the right circle!
	33:27	Freibergs also sent a projectile from the blue line and again Sprukts tried to tip in.
	32:46	Redlihs fired from the blue line and Darzins and Sprukts tried to rebound the puck. Unsuccessfully.
	32:11	The 2nd commercial break in this period.
	32:11	Faulk (USA) gets a minor penalty for holding.
	31:20	An off-side for Team USA.
	30:49	C. Butler fired from the blue line but Masalskis was precise with his save by his glove.
	30:06	Indrasis fired from the neutral zone, Bishop on his place.
	29:40	Latvians caught in an off-side.
	28:59	C. Butler fired from the blue line and Pujacs was shot down and got the projectile right into the right ear!
	28:19	Smith skated round the corner and found way back to the circle and managed to fired.
	28:05	Latvians also at full strength.
	27:17	A short power play for the overseas team.
	27:16	U.S. Team at full strength.
	26:18	The first commercial break in this period.
	26:05	This Latvian power play is over, Sprukts (LAT) gets a minor penalty for interference.
	25:16	McBain (USA) gets a minor penalty for slashing.
	24:21	Goal for Team USA! DAVID MOSS applied his strength and rebounded the puck after a shot from Paul Stastny. Assisted by Stastny.
	24:10	The first minute of American power play is over but Team USA is playing this one really good. Latvians are under a pressure.
	23:10	Stals (LAT) gets a minor penalty for slashing.
	22:11	Goal for Team USA! TIM STAPLETON oriented himself fastest in the mess in front of Latvian net and Americans needed only 1 minute to make the score tied again! Assisted by Butler.
	21:11	Goal for Team Latvia! Sprukts passed from the corner to the middle where ARTURS KULDA fired from the first and beat Bishop! Assisted by Sprukts, Darzins.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:55	The same pain again – no shots, no goals...
	19:15	Americans sent the puck behind Masalskis´s net.
	19:10	Stastny (USA) gets a minor penalty for hooking after next troubles during kicking-off.
	18:31	Sprukts and Cipulis in a good opportunities! However, Latvians only prove that they are waiting for 4 games on WCs...
	18:00	Two minutes left in this period. Latvians are surprisingly the better team so far...
	17:42	Another face-off in front of Bishop.
	17:42	A puck out of the rink.
	17:33	LeBlanc´s pass was too long and it is an icing.
	15:30	And the biggest opportunity so far from a counter attack! Captain of Team Latvia skated in a break-away against to Bishop and American goalie won!
	15:21	What a daring from LeBlanc! American player refused to pass to teammates, refused to let the puck to Latvians and skated through Latvian defence and fired from the place between circles. Butler was hiding near the left post and tried to tip in! The puck missed the net for a decimeter!
	14:15	Hunwick fired from the blue line but no teammate was able to rebound it.
	13:48	Two players from Team USA didn´t understand each other and made an off-side.
	13:17	A face-off in front of Bishop was won by U.S. players who kicking-off another action.
	12:00	The second commercial break.
	11:29	Team USA at full strength.
	10:44	U.S. players got the puck out of the zone.
	10:20	Latvians are almost one minute deep in the zone but they can not make up a surprisingly pass or shot. American defeat very well, they skate in a defending square and don´t let Latvians to combinate.
	09:29	The first power-play for Team Latvia – Craig Smith (USA) gets a minor penalty for delaying the game.
	08:49	Smith made a mistake during kick-off and Indrasis stole the puck from him. Luckily from him, Johnson saved this situation.
	08:21	An icing from Latvians.
	07:21	Bishop covered this shot and there is coming the first commercial break.
	07:13	Latvians at full strength.
	07:05	And again, Latvians don´t let U.S. players to combinate in front of Masalskis.
	06:27	Players from Europe are saving time in their offensive zone in a right corner.
	05:45	Latvians get the puck out of their zone.
	05:13	Pujacs (LAT) gets a minor penalty for elbowing.
	04:40	However, Thomson tried to tip in a shot from the blue line. Masalskis saved.
	04:29	For the very first time Americans settle down in the offensive zone but the puck is rolling on boarders.
	03:31	Another save for Masalskis.
	03:24	Europeans didn´t kick-off well and the puck is heading to an icing.
	02:20	Latvians in off-side.
	01:40	On the other side fired LeBlanc from the right wing but Masalskis, the player with most starts on WCs, was ready to save.
	01:03	Latvians entered this game with a good pace and Sotnieks sent a good shot.
	00:01	Game started.
		Starting lineups: Latvia: Masalskis (Gudlevskis) – Redhlis, Kulda, Saviels, Pujacs, Sotnieks, Jass, Andersons, Freibergs – Sprukts, Darzins, Cipulis – Kenins, Girgensons, Indrasis – Berzins, Pavlovs, Jekomvs – Dzernins, Stals, Sirkovovs. The head coach: Ted Nolan. USA: Bishop (Gibson) – Carle, Faulk, Johnson, Hunwick, Trouba, Butler C., Petry, McBain – Smith, Moss, Stastny – Butler B., Stapleton, LeBlanc – Gionta, Carter, Thompson – Kristo, Bjugstad, Palushaj. The head coach: Joe Sacco. Referees: Jerabek (CZE), Kirk (CAN) – Kack (SWE), Jesse (CAN).
		Latvians think like every year to advance to the quarterfinals. However, If it they want to achieve it, should squeeze against Americans or Slovaks some points. Compared to the first duel, they should significantly improve their game.
		Teams who didn´t enter the tournament according to their plans. Although the United States defeated Austria 5-3, but were losing the entire half of the game and did not show at all a convincing performance. Latvians performaced even worse, they didn´t make up any chance against Russians a hit hard debacle 0-6.
		Welcome. Game starts at 19:15.

Commentary by

Lucie Mužíková

@LMuzikova

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 22. Kulda (Sprukts, Darzins) – 23. Stapleton (Butler), 25. Moss (Stastny), 51. Butler B. (Stapleton, Johnson), 53. Hunwick (Stastny)

Latvia: Masalskis (Gudlevskis) – Redhlis, Kulda, Saviels, Pujacs, Sotnieks, Jass, Andersons, Freibergs – Sprukts, Darzins, Cipulis – Kenins, Girgensons, Indrasis – Berzins, Pavlovs, Jekomvs – Dzernins, Stals, Sirkovovs. The head coach: Ted Nolan.

USA: Bishop (Gibson) – Carle, Faulk, Johnson, Hunwick, Trouba, Butler C., Petry, McBain – Smith, Moss, Stastny – Butler B., Stapleton, LeBlanc – Gionta, Carter, Thompson – Kristo, Bjugstad, Palushaj. The head coach: Joe Sacco.

Referees: Jerabek (CZE), Kirk (CAN) – Kack (SWE), Jesse (CAN)

1st period
	05:13
	09:29
	19:10
1st intermission
2nd period
	21:11
	22:11
	23:10
	24:21
	25:16
	26:05
	32:11
	34:42
	34:56
2nd intermission
3rd period
	50:02
	50:55
	52:21
	55:14
	59:54
Final