USA 9:4 FIN | USA - Finland (Hlinka Gretzky Cup)

Friendly matches

Hlinka Gretzky Cup

Sweden2 – Switzerland	7:2 (end)	\|	USA – Finland	9:4 (end)	\|	Slovakia2 – Canada2	1:5 (end)
Czech Republic – Russia	11:2 (end)

final

USA

9:4 (1:1, 3:2, 5:1)

Finland

Wednesday 13.08.2014, 15:30 • Břeclav • Hlinka Gretzky Cup

		Welcome. Game starts at 15:30.
		Good afternoon from Břeclav! Team USA and Team Finland are set for the deiciding game in their battle for semifinal berth. The math is simple: winner of this game advances to the semifinal and will play Canada on Friday in Piešťany.
		Starting lineups: USA: Sarthou (Jurusik) – Wilkie, Dello (A), Blaisdell, Cecconi, Olson, Gabriele, Young – Yan, Novak, Boeser (C) – Jackson, Laczynski, Terry – Filipe, More, Swaney – Bachman, Foley, Smith. Finland: Vehviläinen (Heljanko) – Juolevi, Saarijärvi, Järvinen, Vainio, Parikka, Mattila, Välimäki – Palmu, Nättinen (A), Puljujärvi – Aho (A), Tammela, Laine – Piipponen, Ruotsalainen (C), Tavernier – Björkqvist, Mattila, Niemelä – Mäkinen. Referees: Čech, Hribik – Blümel, Skopal.
	00:01	Game started.
	00:14	Olson (USA) is called a minor penalty for high sticking.
	00:52	USA is playing a good penalty killing, clearing the puck out of their zone repeatedly.
	01:51	First save for Sarthou against Laine´s slapshot.
	02:15	Team USA is at full strength.
	02:42	Vehvilainen in trouble after Novak´s shot. He let the puck slip out of his reach and it bounced free in the goal crease. The whistle already went, though, and the play is stopped.
	03:21	Good chance on the other end, too, as Niemela moves down the right wing and into a shooting position only to narrowly miss the goal.
	05:16	Goal for Team Finland! Finns are rewarded for their activity with the opening goal. Aho skates down the left wing, takes a shot which Sarthou saves with a pad, but JONNE TAMMELA is on hand to tap the rebound into the net. Assisted by Sebastian Aho.
Jonne TAMMELA - 0:1
	05:58	Gabriele´s effort is saved by Vehvilainen.
	06:47	Sarthou is quick out of his goal to reach the loose puck before Finnish forward and clears it out of his reach.
	07:01	Smith takes advantage of a mistake in Finnish defense, moves on goal, but his shot is wide.
	08:03	Wilkie attempts a slapshot from the blue line but it is straight at Vehvilainen who is alert and covers.
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	08:21	Sarthou with a good save against Laine.
	09:41	Even game with chances on both sides so far, Niemela is denied by Sarthou´s pad.
	11:32	Aho fires a one-timer from the blue line, Sarthou makes a good glove save.
	12:01	Good chance for Team Finland. Aho attempts to get to the rebound of Laine´s shot and is succesful, but takes a shot just wide. Mattila then gets to the loose puck and follows with another rebound that is stopped by Sarthou.
	13:28	More takes the puck into the offensive zone and forces a save on Vehvilainen.
	14:18	Foley moves around the net and shoots, but straight at the goalie.
	15:15	Dennis Yan moves down the center of the rink and hits the right post.
	15:21	Good spell for Team USA and they force a penalty on Juolevi (FIN) who is set to serve two minutes for slashing.
	16:55	Goal for Team USA! Powerplay is converted into an equalizer. THOMAS NOVAK skates out of the corner of the rink into a shooting position and beats Vehvilainen on his near post. The Finnish goalie probably won´t be happy with this one. Assisted by Spencer Young, Grant Gabriele.
Thomas NOVAK - 1:1
	17:12	Good save by Vehvilainen this time against Boeser, stopping his shot with a pad.
	18:22	Olson (USA) is penalized for tripping.
	19:20	USA with a quick 2-on-1 breakaway, Thomas More takes a shot from the right crease, but Vehvilainen is able to stop it, including the rebound.
	20:00	1st period finished.
		First period brought two distinct halves. Finland had the upper hand in the first one and took the lead, but USA rallied back, equalized and had some good chances late in the period.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
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	20:22	USA is at full strength.
	20:49	Goal for Team Finland! Big mistake. One of US defensemen had the puck behind his own net, but passed straight on the stick of PETRUS PALMU who quickly slotted the puck into the net past Sarthou. Unassisted.
Petrus PALMU - 1:2
	22:05	Järvinen is waiting for a pass on the offensive blue line and is furious he did not get it. Meanwhile, US come forward...
	22:32	Goal for Team USA! Järvinen eventually did not make it back in time to stop the quick counter, Novak passed in front of the net for TROY TERRY who calmly scores past stretching Vehvilainen. Assisted by Thomas Novak, Robert Jackson.
Troy TERRY - 2:2
	23:37	Laine´s shot is deflected wide.
	24:37	Yan (USA) is called a minor penalty for high sticking.
	25:36	Finns combine in the offensive zone, but do not shoot. Eventually, a bad pass allows US to clear.
	26:19	Another bad pass on Finnish powerplay.
	26:37	USA is at full strength.
	27:14	Now Ruotsalainen (FIN) is called for slashing and it is going to be a US powerplay.
	28:34	Novak with Young and Boeser create big pressure in the Finnish zone and Vehvilainen faces a barrage of shots. Yet Novak´s rebound is tipped wide by the pad of a Finnish goalie in the biggest chance.
	29:14	Team Finland is at full strength.
	30:12	After a while, Sarthou has a job to do, saving Palmu´s effort.
	32:31	We are tied midway through the game and the game is up for grabs. Both teams have chances and try to play attacking hockey.
	32:51	Wilkie (USA) is called for cross-checking.
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	33:18	Finnish powerplay is not dangerous today which is not a good sign for the European side.
	33:45	Goal for Team USA! Saarijarvi makes a mistake on the offensive blue line, KARCH BACHMAN is clean through on goal and beats Vehvilainen on his stick side! USA score shorthanded and take the lead. Unassisted.
Karch BACHMAN - 3:2
	33:45	Bachman (USA) celebreated wildly, even with gestures before the Finnish bench which means he is going to sit a 10-minute misconduct in the penalty box.
	34:41	Vainio´s shot is spilled by Sarthou and Finnish players push for a rebound with goalie on his back. Yet the puck bounces clear of the net and US lead prevails.
	34:44	Cecconi (USA) is called for interference, though, and Finland will play a short 5-on-3 powerplay.
	35:15	Goal for Team Finland! Here is the equalizer. VILI SAARIJÄRVI receives a pass on the blue line and fires a hammer all the way into the net. Assisted by Petrus Palmu.
Vili SAARIJÄRVI - 3:3
	35:41	Tavernier (FIN) and Boeser (USA) are both called minor penalties for roughing.
	36:25	Goal for Team USA! Boeser moves on goal down the left wing, takes a shot which goes through Vehvilainen´s body and ROBERT JACKSON is on hand to score an easy goal into the empty net. Assisted by Brock Boeser.
Robert JACKSON - 4:3
	37:50	Tammela (FIN) will serve a minor penalty for slashing.
	38:37	US in the offensive zone, but this time with no major chance.
	39:21	Vehvilainen saves Yan´s shot.
	39:50	Team Finland is at full strength.
	39:55	Novak (USA) is called a minor penalty for charging.
	40:00	2nd period finished.
		What an end to the period. With the score tied at 2-2, the game quitened a bit, only to burst with action later in the second period. Bachman´s shorthanded goal was cancelled by Saarijarvi´s powerplay shot. But Jackman´s rebound gives USA a one-goal lead ahead of the third period.
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	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
	40:19	Nattinen fires from the right wing, the puck goes narrowly wide.
	41:53	US clear their zone few times and now they are at full strength.
	42:19	Goal for Team USA! Shortly after killing the penalty, USA come forward and score. THOMAS NOVAK fires a shot that is saved by Vehvilainen, but he gets to the rebound first and hits the empty net. Unassisted.
Thomas NOVAK - 5:3
	42:32	Double minor penalty against USA. Filipe (USA) will serve 2 minutes for slashing, Terry (USA) for cross-checking. Long 5-on-3 powerplay for Finland.
	43:12	Nattinen´s fierce shot is saved by Sarthou.
	44:06	Vainio fires a shot from the blue line, Sarthou deflects it just wide of his right post.
	44:30	Goal for Team Finland! Long pressure on three US players and the goalie is just too much and SEBASTIAN AHO fires a shot from the right crease that goes in under Sarthou´s pads. Assisted by Veeti Vainio.
Sebastian AHO - 5:4
	45:02	Novak takes a hit in the offensive zone and is helped off the ice by the trainer.
	45:20	Mattila (USA) is called for hooking.
	46:19	Yan´s attempted wristshot is deflected high. Faceoff on Vehvilainen´s right.
	47:12	Palmu moves forward and takes a shot through screen, deflected into the stands.
	47:36	Now Novak (USA) will serve a minor penalty for hooking.
	48:42	Finns push for an equalizer, but too many bad passes hinder their combination. Aho then fires a shot wide.
	49:23	Laine fires from top of the right crease, Sarthou pushes the puck high into the net.
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	49:46	USA at full strength.
	50:37	Jarvinen (FIN) will serve 2 minutes for slashing.
	51:18	Dennis Yan (USA) called for tripping. 4-on-4.
	52:16	Finland the more active team at the moment, but their passing is poor and they have to clear the offensive zone after a bad pass.
	52:37	Team Finland is at full strength.
	52:59	Offside against Finland.
	53:19	USA at full strength.
	53:39	Goal for Team USA! Important moment. Tammela´s chance at one end is missed. USA go on a counter, DENNIS YAN comes out of the penalty box, moves forward and deflects Bachman´s shot right in front of Vehvilainen out of reach of the Finnish goalie. Assisted by Karch Bachman.
Dennis YAN - 6:4
	53:54	Goal for Team USA! USA score two goals in 15 seconds. Jackson leads the puck down the right wing, sends a good cross-pass in front of the net and TROY TERRY has an easy job of scoring into the empty net. Assisted by Robert Jackson, Grant Gabriele.
Troy TERRY - 7:4
	53:54	Timeout for Team Finland.
	56:28	Finland responds well to the timeout and pushes US players in their own zone. US team calls for a timeout.
	56:47	Goal for Team USA! The result is getting very cruel for Finland. BROCK BOESER winds up in the offensive zone and fires his slap shot under the crossbar. Assisted by Erik Foley.
Brock BOESER - 8:4
	57:54	Goal for Team USA! Sour moments for Finnish team, they are now falling apart. TROY TERRY fires a nice shot into the same spot as Boeser just a minute earlier. Assisted by Thomas Novak.
Troy TERRY - 9:4
	58:48	Offside against Team Finland. They were even opponents for Team USA for most of the game, yet now they trail by five goals.
	60:00	Game over.
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		The final result flatters USA who had to fight hard for their win and with seven minutes to play, the score was still just 5-4. Eventually, USA comes out on top and will play Canada in Friday´s semifinal in Piestany. Finland will play Switzerland for 5th place. (17:42:58)

Commentary by

Lukáš Peroutka

@LukasPeroutka

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 17. Novak (Young, Gabriele), 23. Terry (Novak, Jackson), 34. Bachman, 37. Jackson (Boeser), 43. Novak, 54. Yan (Bachman), 54. Terry (Jackson, Gabriele), 57. Boeser (Foley), 58. Terry (Novak) – 6. Tammela (Aho), 21. Palmu, 36. Saarijärvi (Palmu), 45. Aho (Vainio)

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

Finland: Vehviläinen (Heljanko) – Juolevi, Saarijärvi, Järvinen, Vainio, Parikka, Mattila, Välimäki – Palmu, Nättinen (A), Puljujärvi – Aho (A), Tammela, Laine – Piipponen, Ruotsalainen (C), Tavernier – Björkqvist, Mattila, Niemelä – Mäkinen.

Referees: Čech, Hribik – Blümel, Skopal

1st period
	00:14
	05:16
	15:21
	16:55
	18:22
1st intermission
2nd period
	20:49
	22:32
	24:37
	27:14
	32:51
	33:45
	33:45
	34:44
	35:15
	35:41
	36:25
	37:50
	39:55
2nd intermission
3rd period
	42:19
	42:32
	44:30
	45:20
	47:36
	50:37
	51:18
	53:39
	53:54
	56:47
	57:54
Final