Team USA Falls to Sweden, 4-1, at the 2011 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp

Press Release

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Team USA dropped a 4-1 decision to Sweden in its first game since the roster was trimmed at the 2011 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp.

The contest featured 22 of the 29 U.S. players currently participating in the camp and auditioning for a spot on the U.S. National Junior Team that will take part in the 2012 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2011-Jan. 5, 2012, in Calgary and Edmonton, Alta.

“We played better once we got our feet moving after the first period,” said Dean Blais, head coach of the 2012 U.S. National Junior Team. "But when we went down 4-1 it became a tall order to try and come back from against a team like Sweden.”

Sweden jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Joakim Nordstrom at 11:01 and 14:00 of the first period. Team USA upped its offensive pressure in the middle frame, clanging two shots off the post in the period, but Sweden tacked on the lone goal of the second period to open a 3-0 lead.

Vincent Trocheck (Pittsburgh, Pa.) cut Sweden's lead to two with a power-play goal at 2:22 of the third period. Team USA was got the puck low when Kenny Agostino (Flanders, N.J.) found T.J. Tynan (Orland Park, Ill.) behind the net. Trocheck was waiting in the slot and beat Sweden netminder Johan Gustafsson high to put the U.S. on the board.

But Sweden scored again less than five minutes later to put the game out of reach and give the U.S. its first loss of the camp.

Team USA netminder Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) made 23 saves in the loss, while Gustafsson also made 23 saves to earn the win.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)