Switzerland – Russia 0:5 (end) | France2 – Canada2 3:2 (1:0 after SO) | Belarus – USA 1:6 (end)
Slovakia2 – Czech Republic 2:3 (after OT)
final
Belarus
1:6 (0:1, 1:3, 0:2)
USA
Friday 09.05.2014, 19:45 • Minsk Arena • World Championship
     
    That is all for tonight from Minsk Arena, Belarus. Good night! (22:07:38)
     
    Best player from Team Belarus is Mikhail Grabovski, best player from Team USA is Jimmy Hayes.
     
    It looked like an even game for more than half an hour, but USA decided it with three goals in the last minutes of the second period. Stepanov lit the fire of chance with goal to make it 1:4, but that was it. USA utilized from power-play in the third period to secure comfortable win in their opening game.
     
    First match of Belarus at this WCH in Minsk is over, USA take deserved victory 6:1.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:36
    Koltsov and Kitarov were going against one last defender, but the pass got blocked and Thomas didn't have to make any save.
     
    58:55
    Johnson fights for the puck and gets it, feeds it to Trouba on the blue line, but no shot comes from this.
     
    57:39
    Andrei Kostitsyn (BEL) is heading to the penalty box.
     
    56:57
    Goal for Team USA!
    Unlucky moment for Graborenko. JAKE GARDINER with a huge snapshot made Mezine block hist shot, but the puck went straight to skates of Graborenko and back to the net. Assisted by Gaudreau and Kevin Hayes.
     
    56:31
    Gaudreau went for a powerful slapshot, but it got blocked and the puck went over the net behind the board.
     
    56:15
    Face-off on the left side of Andrei Mezin after Denisov (BEL) gets another minor penalty.
     
    54:58
    Goal for Team USA!
    Team USA utilize the opportunity of playing against only three skaters and grabs back lead by four goals! Johnson made a weak shot, but he made Mezin perform a save and collects the puck again, feeds it to JACOUB TROUBA who fired it past Mezin! Assisted by Gaudreau and Johnson.
     
    54:20
    Fine combination of Belarussian players ends with minor penalty for Andrei Kostitsyn (BEL), who made a stupid foul in the attacking zone.
     
    53:46
    Americans in the control of the puck, but they don't have to score, so the don't hurry anywhere.
     
    53:03
    Denisov (BEL) and Nelson (USA) get both minor penalty for roughing.
     
    53:03
    Both Johnson and Smith could go for the empty net, but both of them wasted their chances. There is a small fight after that as they seemed to push Mezin in their efforts for rebound.
     
    52:42
    Stas stole the puck and tried to punish mistake by defenders who went to change, but hi didn't have enough speed and had to shoot just after crossing the blue line, Thomas had clear view and no problem with this one.
     
    51:41
    Tough American defense in the neutral zone seem to be to much for their opponents at the moment.
     
    50:52
    Yevenko tried his luck, but defenders didn't even let him finish it with a shot.
     
    50:35
    Mezin had to be prepared, but no shot went his way after all.
    Commentary by

    Lukáš Kratochvíl

    CZ@LukasKratoch

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 40. Stepanov (Grabovski, Kalyuzhny) – 13. Nelson (Smith, Johnson), 35. Hayes J. (Trouba, Dekeyser), 36. Gaudreau (Petry), 38. McDonald (Hayes J.), 55. Trouba (Gaudreau, Johnson), 57. Gardiner (Gaudreau, Hayes K.)

    Belarus: Mezin – Stasenko, Korobov, Denisov, Yevenko, Karev, Graborenko, Usenko, Ugarov – Kalyuzhny, Stepanov, Grabovski – Kostitsyn A., Kostitsyn S., Kitarov – Platt, Stas, Koltsov – Yefimenko, Volkov, Kovyrschin
    USA: Thomas – Trouba, Dekeyser, Jones, McCabe, Petry, Gardiner, Donovan, Hayes J. – Johnson, Nelson, Smith – Trocheck, Gaudreau, Abdelkader – Stapleton, Wingels, Mueller – Hayes K., McDonald, Shore
    Referees: Frano, Sindler – Kilian, Suominen
    Attendance: 13600