Three goals in the second period was the difference as Russia chased American starter Spencer Knight en route to a 5-3 victory over the United States in Group B play at the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton, Alberta on Friday night.
Vasily Ponomaryov scored two goals in the win that gives Russia the first leg up in what is sure to be a tough group that also includes Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Austria.
A last ditch effort in the third period came up just short for Team USA. It was Russia’s first win against the United States at the World Juniors since 2016.
The second period actually started off better for the Americans, with a couple of good chances in the opening minutes. Russia quickly turned it around when Maxim Groshev found Zakhar Bardakov with a breakaway pass, who made no mistake beating Knight making it a 2-1 game.
Once again, the United States responded well with Cole Caufield creating a chance by himself but was not able to beat Yaroslav Askarov.
The Predators first-round pick in 2020 made 23 saves in the win.
After the American power play struggled for a second time, Russia took a 3-1 lead when Ponomaryov fired his second of the game on a one-timer from in close. It was the third goal on only nine Russian shots.
Knight’s night ended after when he turned the puck over in his own zone when he was behind the net. Ilya Safonov picked up the loose puck and fired it into the net before the American could get back into the goal.
Dustin Wolf replaced Knight after the 4-1 marker. Knight made eight saves on 12 shots. Wolf was perfect in relief, making 11 saves.
The Americans had the first chance on the power play less than four minutes into the first period when Yan Kuznetsov went off for tripping but failed to get any offensive pressure. In fact, the best scoring chance was by Russia’s Vasili Podkolzin as the penalty expired.
Russia took the lead before the Americans got a shot on goal 8:07 into the game. Ponomaryov tipped an Artemi Knyazev shot that beat Spencer Knight. It was a goal that was emblematic of the start of the game, with Russia’s relentless pressure allowing them to be first on every puck.
Team USA had a strong bounce back with Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield getting chances, but failing to hit the net.
Cam York tied the game on a shot that snuck through the arm and body of Askarov with just under six minutes remaining in the period. Boldy, who was originally credited for the goal, and Caufield were also involved in that chance.
The Russians were the better team in most of the opening 20 minutes, but could not hold onto the lead. Team USA had a great chance to take the lead shortly after but this time Askarov made a huge save to keep it tied.
Russia would get their first power play chance late in the first period, but it was only slightly more successful than the American effort with their advantage earlier in the period.
The start of the third period would have suited the Russians fine, as the United States struggled to generate anything offensively, and Russia wasn’t pushing the issue with a three-goal lead. The Americans could not adjust to the Russian pressure.
However, the third line for Team USA used hard work to start attacking, and it worked out as John Farinacci put a Drew Helleson rebound past Askarov to make it 4-2. There was some contact on Askarov, but the goal stood.
Team USA continued to push, with the line of Caufield, Trevor Zegras, and Alex Turcotte putting pressure on the Russians, but the shift ended with Yegor Chinakhov stealing the puck off of Jackson Lacombe and having a partial breakaway.
That rush led to an offensive zone penalty for Russia, and the Americans had a third power play chance to cut the deficit. This time they did generate some offensive zone time, but could not beat Askarov.
A last ditch effort in the third period on another power play saw the Americans pull Wolf to make it a six-on-four with less than four minutes left. Trevor Zegras scored with 2:18 remaining to make it a 4-3 game.
They pulled the goaltender again with a minute remaining, but it was Russia who scored as Chinakhov put the puck into the empty net.
The United States play Austria on Saturday, while the Russians play next on Sunday against the Czech Republic.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe remain undefeated in women’s doubles at the WTA Finals.
The 2023 U.S. Open champions, seeded second at the event, secured a 1-6, 7-6 (1), (11-9) super-tiebreak win over fourth-seeded Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in round-robin play on Tuesday.
The season-ending tournament features the WTA Tour’s top eight women’s doubles teams.
Dabrowski and Routliffe lost the first set in 22 minutes but levelled the match by breaking Errani’s serve three times in the second, including at 6-5. They clinched victory with Routliffe saving a match point on her serve and Dabrowski ending Errani’s final serve-and-volley attempt.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will next face fifth-seeded Americans Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk on Thursday, where a win would secure a spot in the semifinals.
The final is scheduled for Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 5, 2024.
EDMONTON – Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his career as the New Jersey Devils closed out their Western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored for the Devils (8-5-2) who have won three of their last four on the heels on a four-game losing skid.
The Oilers (6-6-1) had their modest two-game winning streak snapped.
Calvin Pickard made 13 stops between the pipes for Edmonton.
TAKEAWAYS
Devils: In addition to his goal, Bratt picked up his 12th assist of the young season to give him nine points in his last eight games and now 15 points overall. Nico Hischier remains in the team lead, picking up an assist of his own to give him 16 points for the campaign. He has a point in all but four games this season.
Oilers: Forward Leon Draisaitl was held pointless after recording six points in his previous two games and nine points in his previous four. Draisaitl usually has strong showings against the Devils, coming into the contest with an eight-game point streak against New Jersey and 11 goals in 17 games.
KEY MOMENT
New Jersey took a 2-0 lead on the power play with 3:26 remaining in the second period as Hischier made a nice feed into the slot to Bratt, who wired his third of the season past Pickard.
KEY RETURN?
Oilers star forward and captain Connor McDavid took part in the optional morning skate for the Oilers, leading to hopes that he may be back sooner rather than later. McDavid has been expected to be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered during the first shift of last Monday’s loss in Columbus.
OILERS DEAL FOR D-MAN
The Oilers have acquired defenceman Ronnie Attard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Ben Gleason.
The 6-foot-3 Attard has spent the past three season in the Flyers organization seeing action in 29 career games. The 25-year-old right-shot defender and Western Michigan University grad was originally selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Attard will report to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.
UP NEXT
Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Oilers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt pounded into the end zone from two yards out in overtime to give the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs a 30-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.
DeAndre Hopkins had two touchdown receptions for the Chiefs (8-0), who drove through the rain for two fourth-quarter scores to take a 24-17 lead with 4:17 left. But then Kansas City watched as Baker Mayfield led the Bucs the other way in the final minute, hitting Ryan Miller in the end zone with 27 seconds to go in regulation time.
Tampa Bay (4-5) elected to kick the extra point and force overtime, rather than go for a two-point conversion and the win. And it cost the Buccaneers when Mayfield called tails and the coin flip was heads. Mahomes and the Chiefs took the ball, he was 5-for-5 passing on their drive in overtime, and Hunt finished his 106-yard rushing day with the deciding TD plunge.
Travis Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards with girlfriend Taylor Swift watching from a suite, and Hopkins finished with eight catches for 86 yards as the Chiefs ran their winning streak to 14 dating to last season. They became the sixth Super Bowl champion to start 8-0 the following season.
Mayfield finished with 200 yards and two TDs passing for the Bucs, who have lost four of their last five.
It was a memorable first half for two players who had been waiting to play in Arrowhead Stadium.
The Bucs’ Rachaad White grew up about 10 minutes away in a tough part of Kansas City, but his family could never afford a ticket for him to see a game. He wound up on a circuitous path through Division II Nebraska-Kearney and a California junior college to Arizona State, where he eventually became of a third-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2022 draft.
Two year later, White finally got into Arrowhead — and the end zone. He punctuated his seven-yard scoring run in the second quarter, which gave the Bucs a 7-3 lead, by nearly tossing the football into the second deck.
Then it was Hopkins’ turn in his first home game since arriving in Kansas City from a trade with the Titans.
The three-time All-Pro, who already had caught four passes, reeled in a third-down heave from Mahomes amid triple coverage for a 35-yard gain inside the Tampa Bay five-yard line. Three plays later, Mahomes found him in the back of the end zone, and Hopkins celebrated his first TD with the Chiefs with a dance from “Remember the Titans.”
Tampa Bay tried to seize control with consecutive scoring drives to start the second half. The first ended with a TD pass to Cade Otton, the latest tight end to shred the Chiefs, and Chase McLaughlin’s 47-yard field goal gave the Bucs a 17-10 lead.
The Chiefs answered in the fourth quarter. Mahomes marched them through the rain 70 yards for a tying touchdown pass, which he delivered to Samaje Perine while landing awkwardly and tweaking his left ankle, and then threw a laser to Hopkins on third-and-goal from the Buccaneers’ five-yard line to give Kansas City the lead.
Tampa Bay promptly went three-and-out, but its defence got the ball right back, and this time Mayfield calmly led his team down field. His capped the drive with a touchdown throw to Miller — his first career TD catch — with 27 seconds to go, and Tampa Bay elected to play for overtime.
UP NEXT
Buccaneers: Host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
