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U.S. Squads Split WJSS Openers

By USAHockey.com, 07/30/18, 5:00PM EDT

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USA White tops Finland, 5-2; USA Blue falls to Sweden, 3-1

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Five different U.S. players scored and Cayden Primeau (Voorhees, N.J.) made 16 saves as USA White topped Finland, 5-2, in the second game of the day here at the 2018 World Junior Summer Showcase. In the day’s first game, USA Blue fell to Sweden, 3-1. For both recaps, scroll below.

Highlights

Recap: USA White 5, Finland 2

Cole Coskey (Zion, Ill.) opened the scoring 2:06 into the game when he redirected a centering pass from Joey Keane (Chicago, Ill.) past the outstretched pad of Finland’s Lassi Lehtinen. 

The U.S. doubled its lead 4:38 later when Ben Mirageas (Newburyport, Mass.) fired home a shot from the slot. The play started when Grant Mismash (Edina, Minn.) forced a Finnish turnover along the left wall and curled around to dish the puck to Mirageas who tucked the puck into the top left corner.

Finland cut the lead to one with 1:53 to play in the opening frame when Aarne Talvitie beat Cayden Primeau (Voorhees, N.J.) from the left face-off dot. Just 1:31 later, the U.S. restored its two-goal lead when Mikey Anderson (Roseville, Minn.) tapped in a pass from Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.) into a wide-open net.

Mismash tallied with 4:46 remaining to make it 4-1 before Erkka Seppälä brought Finland back within two goals with 1:30 to play.

Ivan Lodnia (Novi, Mich.) secured the victory for USA White with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

For complete game stats, click here.

Photo Gallery

Recap: Sweden 3, USA Blue 1

Paul Cotter (Canton, Mich.) scored and Keith Petruzzelli (Wilbraham, Mass.) made 32 saves but USA Blue fell to Sweden, 3-1, in the opening game of the 2018 World Junior Summer Showcase

The game started with both teams generating scoring chances over the first 10 minutes of play before Cotter found the back of the net with six minutes remaining. The play started with Brandon Kruse (Saline, Mich.) and Logan Hutsko (North Caldwell, N.J.) applying pressure in Sweden’s zone to force an errant pass onto the stick of Cotter in the slot for a quick-waisted shot off the right post and into the goal. 

Less than a minute later the U.S. nearly doubled its lead when Jacob McGrew (Orange, Calif.) carried the puck along the right wall and curled around a Swedish defender for a chance that was turned aside.

Sweden was able to even the score, 1-1, three minutes into the middle frame when a shot from the point by Sebastian Alfridsson snuck by Petruzzelli. 

The U.S. responded with back-to-back scoring chances from Logan Cockerill (Brighton, Mich.) and McGrew, but neither were able to convert as both teams entered the final stanza tied.

Simon Johansson netted the game-winner for Sweden with 5:55 to play.

Rickard Hugg added a goal with 2:32 remaining to account for the 3-1 final. 

For full game statistics, click here.

Photo Gallery


2018 WJSS

2019 World Juniors


U.S. Game Schedule

Sandman Centre
Kamloops, B.C.

Date Game Result Broadcast
Mon., July 30 USA Blue vs. Sweden L, 1-3 N/A
USA White vs. Finland W, 5-2 N/A
Tues., July 31 Canada White vs. USA Blue W, 3-2 N/A
Canada Red vs. USA White W, 7-5 N/A
Thurs., Aug. 2 USA vs. Sweden OTW, 5-4 NHL Network
Fri., Aug. 3 USA vs. Finland W, 2-1 NHL Network
Sat., Aug. 4 Canada vs. USA L, 5-6 NHL Network

2018 World Jr Showcase News

2019 U.S. World Jrs News