KOSICE, Slovakia – Chris Kreider (Boxford, Mass./Boston College) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on the power play in the second period and seven different U.S. players recorded a point, as the U.S. Men's National team topped France, 3-2, here tonight in its second qualification-round game at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Men's Championship.

"I like the way we used our speed from the start and through about 55 minutes of the game," said Scott Gordon, head coach of Team USA. "When we had that 5-on-3 advantage in the back half of the third period and didn't convert, something changed. They got some life and our guys knew from the start that France is a team that never quits. In the end I'm happy we were able to get the win and an important three points."

France opened the scoring at 5:25 of the first period with the teams playing four-on-four. Sacha Treille skated along the half wall and into the middle and fired a shot that beat U.S. goalie Ty Conklin (Anchorage, Alaska/St. Louis Blues/University of New Hampshire) on the stick side.

Team USA tied the game with less than four minutes remaining in the period. Playing four-on-four, Blake Wheeler (Robbinsdale, Minn./Atlanta Thrashers/University of Minnesota) and Derek Stepan (Hastings, Minn./New York Rangers/University of Wisconsin) rushed into the offensive zone with a two-on-one opportunity. Wheeler drew the French defender and slipped the puck to Stepan, who fired a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle that sailed past Cristobal Huet inside the right post.

The U.S. took a 2-1 lead just 1:16 into the middle frame when Team USA captain Mark Stuart (Rochester, Minn./Atlanta Thrashers/Colorado College) converted on a nice feed from Chris Porter (Faribault, Minn./St. Louis Blue/University of North Dakota) from the left faceoff circle.

Just over four minutes later, the U.S. gained a two-goal lead while on the power play.Andy Miele (Grosse Pointe Woods/Phoenix Coyotes/Miami University), the 2011 Hobey Baker Memorial Award Winner who made his Team USA debut tonight, fed the puck from behind the goal line to Huet's left, where Kreider connected for what proved to be the game-winning goal.

With 4:30 remaining in the final frame, France cut its deficit in half when Laurent Meunier beat a screened Conklin while on the power play. The French, however, could not pull closer.

Conklin made 20 saves for Team USA in the win, while Huet stopped 35 shots for France in the loss.

The U.S. Men's National Team will next face Switzerland on Monday (May 9), at 10:15 a.m. EDT in its final qualification-round game. The game will air live on Versus and scoring updates will be available on Twitter by following #2011WMC. For Team USA coverage from Slovakia throughout the IIHF World Men's Championship, including game blogs and postgame video, visit the U.S. Men's National Team blog.

While the U.S. has not yet clinched a spot in the tournament quarterfinals, it does control its own destiny. With a victory over Switzerland on Monday, the U.S. will advance regardless of the outcome of other games.

NOTES: Team USA went 1-for-9 on the power play, while France was 1-for-8 with the man advantage ... Paul Gaustad was named the U.S. Player of the Game ... Derek Stepan has scored in all five games, collecting six points within that span (2-4) ... With the qualification-round win, Team USA is now ranked third in Group F with seven points, below Canada (10 points) and Sweden (seven points). The top four teams in Group F advance to the quarterfinals in Bratislava ... Philadelphia Flyers' forward James van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J./Philadelphia Flyers/University of New Hampshire) has been added to the U.S. roster. The U.S. Men's National Team's fourth-place finish at the 2009 IIHF World Men's Championship was Team USA's best finish at the tournament since capturing the bronze medal in 2004 ... The 2011 U.S. Men’s National Team is under the direction of the U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group, including NHL general managers Brian Burke (Toronto), Paul Holmgren(Philadelphia), Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles), David Poile (Nashville), Ray Shero(Pittsburgh) and Dale Tallon (Florida); Atlanta Thrashers president Don Waddell; and Jim Johannson, USA Hockey's assistant executive director for hockey operations. Paul Fenton, assistant general manager of the Nashville Predators and general manager of the American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals, is serving as associate general manager of the 2011 U.S. Men's National Team ... Scott Gordon is head coach for the second consecutive year after leading the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team, while Greg Cronin, Phil Housley and Barry Smith are serving as assistants ... USA Hockey's international council, chaired by Tony Rossi, vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams ... Versus will provide television coverage of the first six U.S. games at the 2011 IIHF World Men's Championship, in addition to the semifinal round and gold-medal game. 

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

USA 1- 2- 0- 3
FRA 1- 0- 1- 2

First Period - Scoring: 1, FRA, Treille (unassisted), 5:25; 2, USA, Stepan (Wheeler), 16:06. Penalties: USA, Stuart (interference), 3:52; FRA, da Costa (slashing), 3:52; FRA, da Costa (hooking), 9:52; FRA, Meunier (slashing), 12:00; USA, Smith (slashing), 12:25; FRA, Bench (too many players), 14:16; USA, Bench (too many players), 15:23; FRA, Bachet (hooking), 17:35; USA, Shattenkirk (tripping), 18:41.

Second Period - Scoring: 3, USA, Stuart (Porter, Gaustad), 1:16; 4, USA, Kreider (Miele), 5:24 (pp). Penalties: FRA, Arrossamena (hooking), 3:26; USA, Wheeler (slashing), 7:34; FRA, Romand (slashing), 9:46; USA, Shattenkirk (interference), 10:48; USA, Komisarek (roughing), 12:12; FRA, Tardif (slashing), 12:12.

Third Period - Scoring: 5, FRA, Meunier (Hecquefeuille), 15:30 (pp). Penalties: USA, Miele (high-sticking), 4:30; USA, Johnson (tripping), 10:34; FRA, Besch (tripping), 12:01; USA, Kreider (charging), 14:46; FRA, Treille (delaying the game), 16:10.

Shots by Period 1 2 3 Total
USA 11 14 13 38
FRA 5 5 12 22
         
Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total
USA, Conklin, 60:00 5-4 5-5 12-11 22-20
FRA, Huet, 59:15 11-10 14-12 13-13 38-35

Power Play: USA 1-9; FRA 1-8
Penalties: USA 10-20; FRA 11-22

Referees: Eduards Odins, Peter Orszag
Linesmen: Andre Schrader, Sergei Shelyanin
Attendance: 3,101