RIGA, Latvia – Dustin Brown (Ithaca, N.Y./Los Angeles Kings) scored three power play goals to lead the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 3-1 win over Norway today at Arena Skonto in the first game of the 70th annual International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship.
“It was a good opening game for us,” said U.S. Head Coach Mike Eaves (Madison, Wis.). “Our special teams were good, our goaltending was solid and as the game wore on, we felt like we were coming together more and more as a team.”
Despite outshooting Norway 13-6 in the opening period, the U.S. trailed by a 1-0 count after 20 minutes. Tommy Jakobsen did the damage for Norway with a power play marker at 13:32.
Brown recorded the first of his three goals and the only tally of the second period at 1:21 when he scored off a rebound of Andy Hilbert’s (Lansing, Mich./Pittsburgh Penguins/University of Michigan) backhanded shot from the left circle.
Team USA took the lead for good at 5:42 of the final stanza when Brown’s wrist shot from the right dot eluded Norway netminder Pal Grotnes. Brown put home an insurance marker for the Americans at 15:46 when he scored shortside from just above the goal line to Grotnes’ left.
Craig Anderson (Park Ridge, Ill./Chicago Blackhawks) made 20 saves in the U.S. net to pick up his first international victory, while Grotnes had 28 stops for Norway.
Team USA’s next action comes Sunday (May 7) when it takes on Denmark. Opening faceoff is set for 9:15 a.m. (EDT) and the game can be heard live on usahockey.com.
GAME SUMMARY
NOR 1-0-0 -- 1
USA 0-1-2 -- 3
First Period – Scoring: 1, NOR, Jakobsen (Holtet), 13:32 (pp). Penalties: NOR, Nilsen (tripping), 0:50; USA, Hilbert (hooking), 5:23; USA, Hilbert (tripping), 7:48; USA, Orpik (holding), 9:16; USA, Slater (holding), 11:52; NOR, Jakobsen (charging), 14:41; USA, Hilbert (slashing), 15:23; NOR, Marthinsen (hooking), 19:21.
Second Period – Scoring: 2, USA, Brown (Hilbert), 1:21 (pp). Penalties: NOR, Ryman (hooking), 0:37; NOR, Thoresen (hooking), 2:11; USA, Reasoner (hooking), 12:57; USA, Komisarek (interference), 16:18.
Third Period – Scoring: 3, USA, Brown (unassisted), 5:42 (pp); 4, USA, Brown (Reasoner, Komisarek), 15:46 (pp). Penalties: NOR, Myrvold (interference), 0:54; NOR, Trygg (slashing), 4:16; USA, Reasoner (holding), 8:27; USA, Stastny (slashing), 13:06; NOR, Trygg (interference), 14:14.
Shots By Period 1 2 3 Total
NOR 6 6 9 21
USA 13 8 10 31
Goaltending (SH-SV) 1 2 3 Total
NOR, Grotnes, 60:00 13-13 8-7 10-8 31-28
USA, Anderson 60:00 6-5 6-6 9-9 21-20
Power Play: NOR 1-9, USA 3-8
Penalties: NOR 8-16, USA 9-18
Officials: Referee-Marcus Vinnerborg; Linesmen-Leo Takula, Lars Schroeter
Attendance: 4,000 (est.)