Team USA is headed to the gold medal game of the World Junior A Challenge after defeating Switzerland 7-4 in a semi-final game at the Mariners Centre in Yarmouth on Nov. 9.
Team USA came out strong scoring five goals in the first period to make it a 5-0 game.
Both teams scored power play goals in the second to make it a 6-1 game at the end of the second.
But Team Switzerland made a period out of the third, scoring three times to close the gap to 6-4, and it could have been a 6-5 game but USA has a shot off the iron to thank for Switzerland not making it a one-goal game.
In the last minute and a half USA scored a final insurance goal for the win.
HOCKEY CANADA GAME SUMMARY:
Nicholas Schilkey and captain Vince Hinostroza scored two goals apiece as the United States advanced to the gold medal game at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge with a 7-4 semifinal win over Switzerland on Friday.
It’s the fourth time in five years the Americans will play for gold; they won three consecutive tournaments from 2008 to 2010 before having their run ended by Canada East in last year’s semifinals. They’ll face the winner of Friday’s late semifinal between Canada East and Canada West on Sunday night.
Alex Kile, Ryan Fitzgerald and Blake Heinrich scored the other goals for the U.S., which led 5-0 just over 15 minutes into the game, chasing Swiss starter Luca Boltshauser. Schilkey added an assist for a three-point night, while Ian Brady had three assists and Sheldon Dries and Taylor Cammarata chipped in two helpers each.
Robin Leone paced the offence with a goal and two assists for the Swiss, who trailed 6-1 heading into the third period before pulling to within two with 3:39 to go before Hinostroza’s second goal sealed it for the U.S.
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Luca Fazzini, Jan Neuenschwander and Christoph Bertschy had the other Swiss goals. The Europeans will play for bronze (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. AT) for the second time in as many tournament appearances – it finished third in 2010.
Both teams used two goaltenders – Melvin Nyffeler replaced Boltshauser late in the first period and gave up two goals on 19 shots, while Michael Bitzer saw his first action of the tournament in the third period for the Americans, allowing three goals on 12 shots. U.S. starter Eamon McAdam stopped 23 of 24 in the first 40 minutes.
USA will play the winner of the Canada West-Canada East semi-final in the gold-medal game.
Goals:
06:10 SUI 10 Luca Fazzini (17 Lukas Sieber) PP
12:54 USA 15 Nicholas Schilkey (17 J.T. Stenglein, 23 Justin Kloos) PP
Penalties:
03:18 USA 19 Robbie Baillargeon (Roughing)
03:18 SUI 18 Daniele Grassi (Roughing)
05:24 USA 11 Alex Kile (10-Minute Misconduct)
05:44 SUI 11 Christoph Bertschy (10-Minute Misconduct)
05:44 USA 15 Nicholas Schilkey (Hooking)
06:38 SUI 18 Daniele Grassi (Roughing)
06:38 SUI 14 Dean Kukan (Roughing)
06:38 USA 17 J.T. Stenglein (Slashing)
06:38 USA 17 J.T. Stenglein (Roughing)
07:25 USA 4 Mike Downing (Roughing)
10:02 SUI 14 Dean Kukan (Roughing After Whistle)
12:22 SUI 23 Luka Hoffmann (Roughing)
13:42 USA 2 Justin Woods (Roughing)
18:48 SUI 2 Cédric Hachler (Holding)
Third Period Goals:
03:28 SUI 22 Robin Leone (16 Sandro Zangger) PP
05:16 SUI 21 Jan Neuenschwander (11 Christoph Bertschy, 22 Robin Leone) PP
16:21 SUI 11 Christoph Bertschy (16 Sandro Zangger, 22 Robin Leone)
18:42 USA 12 Vince Hinostroza (10 Taylor Cammarata)
Penalties:
02:28 USA 6 Blake Heinrich (Interference)
03:14 USA 22 Zach Stepan (High Sticking)
04:42 USA 6 Blake Heinrich (Elbowing)
06:52 SUI 29 Eliot Antonietti (Roughing)
12:33 USA 4 Mike Downing (Roughing)
12:33 SUI 10 Luca Fazzini (Roughing)
16:35 SUI 3 Nolan Diem (Cross Checking)
