Thursday, January 1, 2009

Canada Gets the Bye

Press Release

OTTAWA, Ontario – Two empty-net goals in the final minute ended the U.S. National Junior Team's hopes of earning a bye into the semifinals as host Canada defeated the U.S. by a 7-4 count here tonight in the final preliminary-round game for both teams at the 33rd annual International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. A single-game tournament record 20,223 watched at Scotiabank Place.

The U.S. will face Slovakia in a quarterfinal game Friday (Jan. 2) at 7:30 p.m. (EST) at Scotiabank Place. The game can be seen live on the NHL Network in the U.S.

"It was a great hockey game," said U.S. Head Coach Ron Rolston. "The pace and emotion throughout rivaled any game I've been a part of. We're obviously disappointed with the outcome. We'll be ready to play Slovakia come Friday."

Team USA jumped out to an early lead when Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle, N.Y./Boston University) blasted a shot from the top of the right circle past Canadian goalie Dustin Tokarski at 3:49. After Jimmy Hayes (Dorchester, Mass./Boston College) tallied a power-play marker at 7:15, Jim O'Brien (Maplewood, Minn.) scored from the right circle to give the U.S. a 3-0 lead. Canada rallied for three goals in the final five minutes of the period, including two power play markers, to even the score going into the first intermission.

After Canada took its first lead of the game just :37 into the second stanza, Jonathon Blum (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) scored off a scrum in front of the net at 3:40. Canada regained the lead on a power-play goal at 6:56, an advantage they held after 40 minutes.

The U.S. had several great chances to tie the game in the third period, but was unable to convert. Canada scored two empty-net goals in the final minute to account for the 7-4 final.

Thomas McCollum (Sanborn, N.Y.) made 22 saves in goal for the U.S.

NOTES: Colin Wilson (Greenwich, Conn./Boston University) was named Team USA's Player of the Game ... Defenseman Jonathon Blum(Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) is the captain of the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team, while forward Colin Wilson and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk are the team's alternate captains ... The 2009 U.S. National Junior Team trained in Lake Placid, N.Y., at the Olympic Training Center from Dec. 16-20 ... Ron Rolston (Ann Arbor, Mich.), head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team within USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, is the head coach of the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team. Nate Leaman (Clifton Park, N.Y./Union College) and P.K. O'Handley (Waterloo, Iowa/Waterloo Black Hawks) are serving as assistant coaches, while Jeff Blashill (Indianapolis, Ind./Indiana Ice) is the goaltending coach ... The NHL Network will broadcast live all Team USA games in the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship ... Team USA finished fourth at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship and has played for a medal in the event each of the last six years.


(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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