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, 17:30Hlinka Gretzky Cup
     
    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)
    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.

     
    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.
     
    60:00
    Game over.
    Scott Wheeler: Now 11-5 team Canada in one of the more bizarre hockey games you'll ever see.

     
    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.
     
    58:17
    Offside USA.
     
    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.
     
    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.
     
    55:25
    Tory Dello with a shot from the point, pad save Sawchenko and then Canada ice it.
     
    55:10
    The US now with a chance on the power play as Guillaume Brisebois takes a tripping penalty.
     
    54:47
    Puck out of play in the Canadian zone, faceoff inside.
     
    53:00
    Moore in front to Swaney as the Americans get a big shorthanded chance.
     
    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.
     
    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.
     
    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.
     
    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.
     
    48:56
    Back to the Canadian zone again, Jackson with a low slapper, Sawchenko deflects it out of play.
     
    48:30
    The other way, Nic Roy's shot hits Jurusik and is cleared away.
     
    48:05
    US pressure continues, Boeser rips a low shot wide.
     
    47:28
    High wrister from Novak, Sawchenko swats it away with the glove. The puck comes to him again and he covers.
     
    46:35
    Americans back the other way, Swaney's shot goes high.
     
    46:15
    Knott with a long wrister, pad save 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.
     
    45:13
    Backhander from Tyler Soy, caught and held by Jurusik.
     
    44:53
    Puck again out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside.
     
    44:00
    Puck out of play in the USA zone, faceoff inside.
     
    42:10
    Icing Canada.
     
    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.
     
    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.
     
    41:18
    Icing Canada.
     
    40:42
    Puck out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    The teams are returning to the ice and the 3rd period begins shortly.
     
    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.
    Scott Wheeler: Crazy period of hockey. Seven goals in total.

     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    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.
     
    39:16
    2-on-1 USA but Boeser couldn't corral the pass and doesn't get a shot away.
     
    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.
     
    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.
     
    37:10
    Ryan Moore with the wrister from the left wing, right on Sawchenko, who freezes.
     
    36:24
    Shot by Boeser is deflected out of play, faceoff in the Canadian zone.
     
    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.
     
    34:49
    Puck deflected out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside.
     
    33:55
    Strome with another drive but Jurusik makes a pad save.
     
    33:30
    Canadian 2-on-2, Marner to Strome going for 4 but he one-times it just wide.
     
    33:04
    Novak with a wrister from the slot, right on Sawchenko holds.
     
    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
     
    31:54
    Harkins carries it down the left wing, pad save Jurusik on his wrister.
     
    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.
     
    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.
    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.

     
    29:58
    Team USA is now making a goaltending change. Out is Evan Sarthou and in is Matthew Jurusik.
     
    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.
     
    29:50
    One-time blast from the point by Connor Hobbs but Sarthou gets across to make a pad save.
     
    29:45
    Puck deflected out of play in the US zone, faceoff inside with :23 left in the penalty.
     
    29:00
    Now Nick Merkley is in all alone but he fires high.
     
    28:50
    Canada now to the per play but a bad pass to the point goes all the way back to their own zone.
     
    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.
     
    28:08
    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.
     
    27:45
    Canada clear it the length of the ice.
     
    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.
     
    26:35
    Now we have another Canadian penalty and it's Lawson Crouse, so the US will have a 5-on-3 for :25.
     
    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.
     
    25:00
    Now Canada is getting a penalty as Adam Musil goes off for holding, so the Americans coming on early in the 2nd.
     
    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.
     
    24:13
    J. Roy with a slapper from the point, blocked in front.
     
    24:07
    Merkley with a long wrister, hits Sarthou in the chest and he holds it.
     
    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.
     
    22:44
    Americans keep the pressure up, Sawchenko makes a pad save off Moore.
     
    22:35
    The puck is now deflected out of play in the Canadian zone, faceoff inside.
     
    22:15
    Terry Troy cuts into the Canadian zone, fires a wrister wide of the far post.
     
    21:07
    Nic Roy with a wrister through a crowd off the shoulder of Sarthou.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    The teams are returning to the ice and the 2nd period will start in about one minute.
    US trails Can 3-1 after 1st.

     
    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.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    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.
     
    19:03
    Slapper from Zach Wilkie, deflected wide.
     
    18:29
    Offside USA with 1:04 left in their power play.
     
    17:55
    Goal for Team Canada!
    Shorthanded 2-on-1 for Canada, Stephens feeds JANSEN HARKINS, who buries it.
    Assist: Mitchell Stephens, Guillaume Brisebois.
     
    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.
     
    17:23
    Americans having trouble getting the puck out of their zone, finally Evan Sarthou covers the puck.
     
    16:45
    Spencer from the point, another save Sarthou.
     
    16:20
    Wrister from Barzal, stick save Sarthou.
     
    15:29
    Offside USA.
     
    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.
     
    13:50
    Nick Merkley hammers Tory Dello behind the US net.
     
    13:09
    Americans putting on some pressure, Spenser Young with a wrister from the point, Sawchenko deflects it out of play.
     
    12:48
    Offside Canada.
     
    12:15
    Big hit in the corner by Matt Filipe on Jeremy Roy.
     
    11:19
    It's Harkins, Barzal, Konecny out there and Sarthou makes another glove save and hangs on.
     
    11:00
    Tory Dello with a slapper from the point, blocked and Canada back the other way.
     
    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.
     
    07:55
    Konecny fires a wrister high and wide.
     
    07:25
    Icing USA.
     
    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.
     
    06:30
    US rush, Jackson to Novak, pad save Sawchenko.
     
    06:20
    Wrister from Lawson Crouse streaking down the right wing, hits Sarthou in the shoulder and he holds for a faceoff.
     
    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.
     
    04:55
    Nicholas Swaney tries to go upstairs, swatted away by Sawchenko.
     
    04:10
    Americans going for more, Laczynski from a weak angle, pad save Sawchenko.
     
    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.
     
    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.
     
    Nick Merkley of Canada with the first shot on goal, save Sarthou, Canadians jam the crease and play is stopped. Faceoff outside.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" have been played and we're moments away from the opening 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.
    USA on the left, CAN on the right, 20+ minutes before faceoff

     
    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.
    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.

     
    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.
     
    Welcome. This semifinal game starts at 17:30 CET, 11:30 ET, 08:30 PT.

    Derek OBrien

    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