Europe
Defeats Czechs in OT
Team Europe continued their surprise
run last night by beating team Czech Republic in OT. Leon Draisaitl scored the
3-on-3 winner to boost team Europe to a tournament leading 2-0-0 record.
This tight game began with a scoreless
1st period. Things quickly got interesting early in the 2nd
when Europe was on the power play. Midway through the penalty, Czech player
Michal Kempny covered the puck with his hand in the crease, causing a penalty
shot for Europe’s Anze Kopitar. Goaltender Petr Mrazek was up to the task and
stopped Kopitar to keep the game scoreless.
Europe finally broke through at 10:05
of the 2nd when Zdeno Chara wired a loose puck into the net. The Czechs
would respond quickly though, as Jakub Voracek sent a quick shot past Halak’s
blocker at 13:28 to tie the game at 1. Mats Zuccarello would once again give
Europe the lead when he took a long pass from Halak, sped up the left wing, and
fired a shot that found its way over Mrazek’s shoulder at 2:17 of the 3rd.
Martin Hanzal scored a power play goal
for team Czech Republic at 8:31 off of a fortuitous bounce. Though put wide,
Vladimir Sobotka’s shot bounced off the end boards and found Hanzal’s stick
where it was deposited into the open net. For the first time in this
tournament, overtime was required to determine a winner.
Leon Draisaitl quickly ended the game
when he scored on a breakaway 2:06 into the extra period. Mats Zuccarello found
him with a perfect stretch pass, and he finished by snapping the puck by
Mrazek, who hardly flinched. Europe began the tournament as an underdog, but
they are quickly proving people wrong. Czech Republic hasn’t won yet, but they
hope to next game if they want a chance to advance.
North
American Comeback Falls Short Against Russia
Though down by 3 goals, the young team
North America refused to give in to the Russians. They fell only 1 goal short
of tying the game in this excellent hockey game. It may even be the best game I’ve
seen all tournament thus far. Here’s how it played out:
At 5:14 of the first period, Connor
McDavid slid a nifty pass across the crease to Auston Matthews for a quick 1-0
lead. They would end up keeping this lead entering the 2nd. Midway
through the period at 9:29, Vladislav Nemestnikov hit the goal post, but as the
puck came back out, it went off Murray’s skate and in to even the score. 40
seconds later, Nikita Kucherov scored when the puck bounced to him off a
partition along the boards. The Russians not only had luck on their side, they
were also beginning to take control of the game.
Russia scored again at 13:37 when
Evgeny Kuznetsov’s fancy stick work enabled him to put the puck up and over
Murray in tight. Russia continued to pour it on as sharpshooter Vladimir
Tarasenko spun before flinging a shot into the net at 15:43 to make it 4-1.
After allowing 4 goals in a span of about 6 minutes, Matt Murray was pulled and
replaced by John Gibson.
It didn’t take long for North America
to start showing urgency. After putting Gibson in, the team seemed to get
better. At 17:56, Morgan Rielly followed up on a blocked shot attempt by Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins and put the puck behind Bobrovsky to make it a 2-goal game with
plenty of time left. After the fast paced 2nd period, North America
knew they had a good chance to tie it.
They were well on their way when Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins scored a power play goal at 3:01 when he bat the puck out of
midair to set up a very tense 3rd period. Bobrovsky would prove to
be the difference, as he stopped 17 North American shots in the 3rd
to hang on for the win. North America had put forth a very good comeback effort
in the 3rd, but Bobrovsky dashed any comeback hopes with his superb
goaltending. Things are now heating up in this tournament with plenty more
exciting games on the horizon.
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