OTTAWA, Ont. – Center Danny Nelson of Notre Dame scored a pair of goals and goaltender Hampton Slukynsky of Western Michigan made 25 saves as the United States led all the way in a 5-1 Group A victory over Latvia Saturday afternoon in the IIHF World Junior Championship at the Canadian Tire Center.
The 19-year-old Nelson, who was named the United States player of the game with his two goals and team-high 10 faceoff wins, opened the scoring for coach David Carle’s team when he batted a rebound home past Latvia goalie Linards Feldbergs at 1:58 of the first period.
Team USA then put the game away with three unanswered goals in the second period. Team captain Ryan Leonard of Boston College scored at 5:08 on the power play, and then defenseman Zeev Buium of Denver made it 3-0 at 11:13 with the teams skating four aside.
Nelson, a member of Carle’s gold-medal winning team from last year’s World Juniors tournament in Sweden, then scored his second goal of the game at 19:54 on a backhander with the Americans on another power play.
Latvia, playing less than a day after stunning tournament host Canada with a 1-0 shootout win after the teams skated to a 2-2 regulation and overtime tie, cut into the United States lead when Davids Livsics ended the shutout bid of Slukynsky at 8:22 of the third period. Slukynsky was given the start over Michigan State standout Trey Augustine by Carle, the head coach of defending champion Denver University, after Augustine surrendered four goals in the team’s opening 10-4 Group A victory over Germany on Thursday.
Max Plante of Minnesota Duluth secured the Americans’ victory when he completed a 2-on-1 break with Teddy Stiga of Boston College at 15:31.
Nelson, an assistant captain, twice hit pipes in the third period attempting to complete a possible hat trick. He and Notre Dame teammate, sophomore defenseman Paul Fischer, each secured an assist in the team’s blowout victory over Germany. Fischer did not skate Saturday.
The United States, which now has a two-point lead (6-4) over Canada in Group A, faces third-place Finland (3 points) Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. The Americans conclude Group A play Tuesday night at 8 against Canada in the Canadian Tire Centre.
UNITED STATES 5, LATVIA 1
Saturday, Dec. 28 at Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ont.
Latvia 0 0 1—1
United States 1 3 1—5
First Period—Scoring: 1. United States, Danny Nelson 1 (Cole Eiserman, Colin Ralph) EV 1:58. Penalties: Latvia 0-0, United States 1-2.
Second Period—Scoring: 2. United States, Ryan Leonard 1 (James Hagens, Gabe Perreault) PP 5:08; 3. United States, Zeev Buium 1 (James Hagens) EV 11:13; 4. United States, Danny Nelson 2 (Brodie Ziemer, Cole Eiserman) PP 19:54. Penalties: Latvia 5-10 (5-10), United States 3-6 (4-8).
Third Period—Scoring: 5. Latvia, Davids Livsics 1 (Dmitrijs Dilevka, Roberts Naudins) EV 8:22; 6. United States, Max Plante 1 (Teddy Stiga, Oliver Moore) EV 15:31. Penalties: Latvia 1-2 (6-12), United States 1-2 (5-10).
Shots on goal: Latvia 26 (8-12-6), United States 41 (7-17-17). Goalie saves, Latvia, Linards Feldbergs 36 (6-14-16); United States, Hampton Slukynsky 25 (8-12-5).
Faceoffs: Latvia 26, United States 38. Power-play opportunities: Latvia 0 of 3, United States 2 of 2.
Referees: Riku Brander (Finland) and Jan Hribik (Czechia). Linesmen: Onni Hautamaki (Finland) and Tommi Niittyla (Finland). Attendance: 13,826.
STANDINGS
GROUP A
GP Pts W OTW OTL L GF-GA
United States 2 6 2 0 0 0 15-5
Canada 2 4 1 0 1 0 6-3
Finland 2 3 1 0 0 1 3-5
Latvia 2 2 0 1 0 1 4-7
Germany 2 0 0 0 0 2 5-13
Thursday, Dec. 26
United States 10, Germany 4
Canada 4, Finland 0
Friday, Dec. 27
Latvia 3, Canada 2 (OT) (Latvia wins shootout 1-0)
Finland 3, Germany 1
Saturday, Dec. 28
United States 5, Latvia 1
Sunday, Dec. 29
United States vs. Finland, 2:30 p.m.
Canada vs. Germany, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 30
Germany vs. Latvia, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 31
Finland vs. Latvia, 2:30 p.m.
United States vs. Canada, 8 p.m.
GROUP B
GP Pts W OTW OTL L GF-GA
Czechia 2 6 2 0 0 0 19-3
Sweden 2 6 2 0 0 0 13-3
Slovakia 2 3 1 0 0 1 4-6
Switzerland 2 0 0 0 0 2 2-7
Kazakhstan 2 0 0 0 0 2 3-22
Thursday, Dec. 26
Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
Friday, Dec. 27
Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
Saturday, Dec. 28
Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
Sunday, Dec. 29
Switzerland vs. Sweden, 12 p.m.
Czechia vs. Slovakia, 5 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 30
Slovakia vs. Kazakhstan, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 31
Kazakhstan vs. Switzerland, 12 p.m.
Sweden vs. Czechia, 5 p.m.
SUMMARIES
UNITED STATES 10, GERMANY 4
Thursday, Dec. 26 at Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ont.
Germany 0 2 2—4
United States 2 4 4—10
First Period—Scoring: 1. United States, James Hagens 1 (Cole Hutson, Ryan Leonard) EV 8:07; 2. United States, Gabe Perreault 1 (James Hagens, Ryan Leonard) EV 11:56. Penalties: Germany 2-4, United States 0-0.
Second Period—Scoring: 3. United States, Trevor Connelly 1 (Cole Eiserman) EV 1:38; 4. Germany, Julius Sumpf 1 (Edwin Tropmann) PP 5:00; 5. Germany, David Lewandowski 1 EV (unassisted) 9:23; 6. United States, James Hagens 2 (Gabe Perreault) EV 14:01; 7. United States, Brandon Svoboda 1 (Joey Willis, Paul Fischer) EV 18:40; 8. United States, Gabe Perreault 2 (Cole Hutson, James Hagens) EV 19:39. Penalties: Germany 1-2 (3-6), United States 3-6 (3-6).
Third Period—Scoring: 9. United States, Carey Terrance 1 (Brandon Svoboda) EV 3:04; 10. Germany, Lenny Boos 1 (Lua Niehus, Tobias Schwarz) EV 5:37; 11. United States, Brodie Ziemer 1 (Max Plante, Cole Hutson) EV 7:16; 12. United States, Brodie Ziemer 2 (Trevor Connelly, Cole Hutson) EV 9:44; 13. Germany, Timo Ruckdaschel 1 (unassisted) EV 16:14; 14. United States, Cole Eiserman 1 (Cole Hutson, Danny Nelson) EV 18:13. Penalties: Germany 1-2 (4-8), United States 1-2 (4-8).
Shots on goal: Germany 22 (6-11-5), United States 56 (15-21-20). Goalie saves: Germany, Nico Pertuch 46 (13-17-16), United States, Trey Augustine 18 (6-9-3).
Power-play opportunities: Germany 1 of 4, United States 0 of 4. Faceoffs: Germany 32, United States 39.
Referees: Mikael Holm (Sweden) and Kristian Vikman (Finland). Linesmen: Oto Durmis (Slovakia) and Tarrington Wyonzek (Canada). Attendance: 13,017.