Good start for the young Americans

Finland had the better start into the game, but Lepistö and Jussi Jokinen were denied by 21 year old Connor Hellebuyck, goaltending prospect of the Winnipeg Jets. With 24 seconds to go in the first period it was KHL-topscorer Steve Moses to pull off a great move, followed by an incredible shot to beat his future Nashville-teammate Pekka Rinne.

In the second frame the Americans wanted to use the momentum gained to strike again, but it was the `Leijonat” to find the equalizer. Hellebuyck was screened and so Jyrki Jokipakka‘s shot squeezed through on the blocker side. The USA became stronger as the game went along and in the 32nd minute also regained the lead. Vezina trophy nominee Pekka Rinne could not control Dylan Larkin’s shot on the odd man rush and Matt Hendricks, the oldest member of the American roster, was the first player to convert the rebound  and make it 2:1 USA.

The ‘stars and stripes” kept pressuring and even managed to improve their lead to two. 33 year old captain Matt Hendricks screened the Finnish netminder and Dan Sexton capitalized on the glove side. Petri Kontiola had a chance to bring the game within one, but the young Americans defended the result going into the final 20 minutes of regulation time.

Also in the third period the american defence protected their house well, giving Finland a hard time finding space and chances and if the Scandinavians managed to overcome the US-blueliners, Helleybuck was ready. Superstar goalkeeper Pekka Rinne on the other side though, did not have his best game, as Steve Moses’s shot trickled through with Nick Bonino ensuring the puck had crossed Rinne’s goal line for the fourth time. It was not the first goal in this game, which the Vezina trophy nominee would have liked to get back.

Hendricks added an empty netter to make it 5:1 for the Americans, who will face Norway on Saturday evening. Finland will try to earn their first points on Sunday in the Scandinavian derby against Denmark.

Photos: Roman Kantor
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