Americans squeak into world junior championship
U.S. edges Russians; Finland awaits after beating Swiss 6-1
VANCOUVER — American goalie Cayden Primeau just tried to stay calm and composed as the clock ticked down at the world junior hockey championship on Friday.
His team was up a goal on Russia in the final minutes of the semifinal match up, and the Montreal Canadiens prospect knew there were more shots to come.
“I was just trying to stay big, then you can celebrate after the buzzer has gone,” Primeau said after the U.S. captured the 2-1 win, punching its ticket to the tournament’s goldmedal game.
It was Russia’s first loss at this year’s event, and came despite outshooting the Americans 36-27. The Americans took home bronze from last year’s tournament after beating Russia in the quarterfinals.
Primeau provided comfort for his teammates, said U.S. coach Mike Hastings.
“When you play a team as good as Russia, they’re going to get their chances and you need that last line of defence to be there for you, to allow you time to catch your breath at times,” he said.
The 19-year-old stopped 35-of-36 shots for the U.S. Pyotr Kochetkov had 26 saves for Russia.
The U.S. got goals from Oliver Wahlstrom and Alexander Chmelevski and Grigori Denisenko responded for the Russians.
The loss was hard for Team Russia, forward Kirill Slepets said through a translator.
“It’s a big disappointment but tomorrow is a new day, new game,” he said. “Our team is one of the best here. We were a little bit unlucky. Will fight for the medal tomorrow.”
Despite the final score, Denisenko wasn’t the only Russian to put the puck in the net.
Midway through the first frame, Dmitri Samorukov dished a pass off to Nikita Shashkov, drawing Primeau across the net. Shashkov deflected it in at the back door.
But officials reviewed the play and called off the goal, saying Shashkov kicked it in.
“We got a lucky bounce and they decided to call it off,” Primeau said. “It was definitely a big one there and we got back to work.”
Another close call came on a Russian power play early in the third period. A shot from Klim Kostin left the puck rolling along the goal line before U.S. defenceman Phil Kemp swatted it out of harm’s way.
“It was crazy,” said the Edmonton Oilers prospect, adding that he almost hit the post. “To be honest, I wasn’t really thinking about it, I was just trying to dig it out.”
Kemp’s teammates were a little nervous, said defenceman Quinn Hughes.
“I don’t think anyone was feeling calm on the bench. We just knew we had to push back,” he said.
It’s good for young players to experience tight games like Friday’s, Hastings said.
“Us as a coaching staff have talked about the ride this group has allowed us to be a part of and what they’re trying to accomplish,” he said. “It was an exciting night for us.”
The U.S. will face finland in tonight’s goldmedal game. Finland beat Switzerland 6-1.
The U.S.-Finland final pits two of the world’s most highly-touted prospects against one another.
American forward Jack Hughes — Quinn Hughes’ younger brother — is expected to be picked No. 1 overall at this year’s draft. Finland’s Kaapo Kakko is also likely to go high. Jack Hughes said facing Kakko will be fun.
“He’s a good player. But I mean, they have two NHL players on their team, too. I mean, they have a really good team over there with a lot of good players,” the 17-year-old said.
Both the gold- and bronze-medal games will be played on Saturday.
FINLAND 6, SWITZERLAND 1
Being an underdog hasn’t prevented Finland from reaching the gold-medal game.
The Finns scored four goals on their first eight shots and went on to defeat Switzerland 6-1 in Friday’s semifinal.
Finland was mediocre in the round-robin but then upset Canada 2-1 in the quarterfinals. That game fed the Finns’ confidence heading into the game against Switzerland.
“Sometimes in a tournament like this we are the underdogs,” said captain Aarne Talvitie, who scored a pair of goals less than three minutes apart in the opening period. “Especially at the beginning for the tournament everyone was like kind of skeptic about our playing. So, it feels really good to be in the finals. We proved to everybody we can play.”
Forward Aleksi Heponiemi, who had a goal and three assists, said the Finns grew stronger as the tournament progressed.
“Just sticking together as a group . . . we have just improved our game,” said the 2017 second-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers. “We just got together more and played for the team.”
Finland learned some important lessons in a 4-1 loss to the U.S. when the teams met on New Year’s Eve during the round-robin. The Finns took 30 minutes of penalties in that game.
“We know they’re a good team,” said Heponiemi. “We’re going to have to work really hard to get the win (today).
“I don’t consider us an underdog. I think we’re a really good team this year. And I’m expecting us to beat them (tonight).”
It will be the first time the U.S. and Finland meet for world junior gold. Talvitie understands the importance of the game.
“There is a lot of history that goes with us,” said the native of Espoo, Finland, who was picked in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL draft by the New Jersey Devils.
“We’ve always been the small country who has the fight, gives their all. It shows what type of people we are when it comes to sports and different stuff. We are the small country that shows the way.”
Jesse Ylonen opened the scoring for Finland just 40 seconds into the game. Rasmus Kupari, a Los Angeles Kings draft pick, scored once and had two assists. Henri Jokiharju, on the power play, also scored.
Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who plays for the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, stopped 16 shots as Finland outshot the Swiss 33-17.
Philipp Kurashev scored for Switzerland on a power play.
Swiss goaltender Luca Hollenstein was pulled at 7:43 of the first period after allowing four goals on eight shots. Akira Schmid stopped 23-of-25 shots.
—