Loss to Russia Puts Americans in Bronze Medal Game
1/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Team USA's quest to defend its gold medal at the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship came to an end when it fell to Russia, 7-2, in the semifinals on Sunday (Jan. 2) at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Goalie Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) of the University of Michigan ice hockey program made 36 saves to hold the Americans in the game until midway through the third period when Russia gained a two-goal advantage, 4-2. In the final three minutes the Russians scored three times, twice into an empty net, to ice the game. Team USA will face the Czech Republic on Tuesday (Jan. 4) at 3 p.m. CST in the bronze medal game.
Penalties plagued the U.S. all game long as the Russians received 12 power plays, capitalizing on three of them. Conversely, the Americans had just four power plays, none of which came in the third period.
Russia opened the scoring just 1:58 into the game with a power-play tally. A slap shot from just above the left circle slithered through traffic and between Montoya's legs for a 1-0 Russian lead. At 4:46 the U.S. deficit increased to 2-0 when Alexander Ovechkin was left alone in the slot to notch Russia's second power-play goal.
Rob Schremp (London Knights) narrowed the score to 2-1 with a power-play marker at 8:55. Schremp managed a shot from the right circle while being harassed by defenders, and the puck barely crossed the goal line as the goalie caught a piece of it. The Americans tied the game at 2-2 on a power-play blast from Patrick O'Sullivan (Mississauga IceDogs) into the upper right of the Russian goal at 14:44.
Unfortunately for the U.S., the tie was short-lived. Russia's Sergei Shirokov was allowed to walk into the right circle with little opposition and pick the top right corner of the net to make it 3-2 with 2:59 remaining in the first frame.
In the second period Team USA did everything it could to tie the game up as it outshot Russia 17-9 in the frame. The best U.S. chance came late in the period while on the power play when Phil Kessel (U.S. NTDP Under-18) backhanded a rebound chance from the side of the net that appeared to be going in only to be knocked out of the air by goalie Anton Khudobin.
With the U.S. pressing hard to even the score in the third period it was Russia that scored the next goal with 8:57 remaining in the game. Following a USA turnover at the Russian blue line, Evgeni Malkin broke back the other way and beat Montoya from the left circle to up Russia's lead to 4-2.
Further complicating the American comeback was a highsticking double-minor penalty assessed to O'Sullivan with 8:04 left. Although the U.S. killed off all four minutes of Russian power-play time there was little time left to even the score.
Montoya was removed from his net for an extra attacker with 2:52 remaining. However, the move backfired and Russia added two empty-net goals in the final minutes. A final tally was recorded by the Russians with one second remaining in the game to make the final score 7-2.
Team USA will attempt to earn a bronze medal when it opposes the Czech Republic on Tuesday. The Czechs defeated the U.S. by a 3-1 score in preliminary round action on Dec. 30. Live statistics and radio coverage are available at www.usahockey.com. Russia moves on to face Canada in the gold medal game on the night of Jan. 4.
Penalties plagued the U.S. all game long as the Russians received 12 power plays, capitalizing on three of them. Conversely, the Americans had just four power plays, none of which came in the third period.
Russia opened the scoring just 1:58 into the game with a power-play tally. A slap shot from just above the left circle slithered through traffic and between Montoya's legs for a 1-0 Russian lead. At 4:46 the U.S. deficit increased to 2-0 when Alexander Ovechkin was left alone in the slot to notch Russia's second power-play goal.
Rob Schremp (London Knights) narrowed the score to 2-1 with a power-play marker at 8:55. Schremp managed a shot from the right circle while being harassed by defenders, and the puck barely crossed the goal line as the goalie caught a piece of it. The Americans tied the game at 2-2 on a power-play blast from Patrick O'Sullivan (Mississauga IceDogs) into the upper right of the Russian goal at 14:44.
Unfortunately for the U.S., the tie was short-lived. Russia's Sergei Shirokov was allowed to walk into the right circle with little opposition and pick the top right corner of the net to make it 3-2 with 2:59 remaining in the first frame.
In the second period Team USA did everything it could to tie the game up as it outshot Russia 17-9 in the frame. The best U.S. chance came late in the period while on the power play when Phil Kessel (U.S. NTDP Under-18) backhanded a rebound chance from the side of the net that appeared to be going in only to be knocked out of the air by goalie Anton Khudobin.
With the U.S. pressing hard to even the score in the third period it was Russia that scored the next goal with 8:57 remaining in the game. Following a USA turnover at the Russian blue line, Evgeni Malkin broke back the other way and beat Montoya from the left circle to up Russia's lead to 4-2.
Further complicating the American comeback was a highsticking double-minor penalty assessed to O'Sullivan with 8:04 left. Although the U.S. killed off all four minutes of Russian power-play time there was little time left to even the score.
Montoya was removed from his net for an extra attacker with 2:52 remaining. However, the move backfired and Russia added two empty-net goals in the final minutes. A final tally was recorded by the Russians with one second remaining in the game to make the final score 7-2.
Team USA will attempt to earn a bronze medal when it opposes the Czech Republic on Tuesday. The Czechs defeated the U.S. by a 3-1 score in preliminary round action on Dec. 30. Live statistics and radio coverage are available at www.usahockey.com. Russia moves on to face Canada in the gold medal game on the night of Jan. 4.
Tournament Statistics (Through 1/2/05)
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | Pen-PIM | +/- |
| Mike Brown | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1-2 | -1 |
| T.J. Hensick | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0-0 | -1 |
| Matt Hunwick | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Kevin Porter | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0-0 | -2 |
| Player | GP | GS | Minutes | W-L-T | GA | GAA | Saves | SV% | SO |
| Al Montoya | 6 | 5 | 330:37 | 3-3-0 | 19 | 3.45 | 173 | .901 | 0 |
2005 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
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