U.S. edges Russia on late goal

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The United States used another late goal to continue its gold medal defence at the world junior hockey championship.

Kieffer Bellows scored his second goal with 7:29 left in the third period to lead the U.S. in a 4-2 quarterfinal victory over Russia on Thursday night.

Kailer Yamamoto also had a goal, Joey Anderson added an empty-netter and Joseph Woll made 27 saves for the Americans, who will play Sweden in the semi- finals on Thursday.

Sweden held on for a 3-2 quarterfinal win over Slovakia earlier in the day to remain unbeaten in the tournament.

A preliminary-round loss to Slovakia put the U.S. on the tougher side of the bracket. The Americans responded to that loss with wins over Canada, Finland and Russia, using third-period goals to pull out each of the victories.

“I think we’re starting to play our best hockey,” U.S. coach Bob Motzko said.

“This tournament always has booby traps. We hit ours right away. We got through it.”

Bellows, the son of former NHL All-Star Brian Bellows and a firstround draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2016, skated into a slap shot for the winning goal. Dylan Samberg’s indirect pass of the end boards bounced back to meet Bellows at the left faceoff circle.

The U.S. took a 1-0 lead on Bellows’ power-play goal 2:18 into the game. Bellows celebrated the goal in front of a fan in the stands wearing his father’s old Minnesota North Stars jersey.

“I noticed after I saw it on the replay,” Bellows said. “That’s a pretty funny coincidence.”

Marsel Sholokhov tied it for Russia before Yamamoto put back the rebound of his own shot to make it 2-1 late in the first period.

Andrei Altybarmakyan had the tying goal for Russia early in the third period. Vladislav Sukhachyov made 39 saves.