MENU
It´s official — the USA win the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for the first time in 22 years! The final got off to a wild start with two goals from each team in the opening seven minutes. The Americans then took a narrow lead again and extended it further early in the second period. Though Sweden pulled one back, the U.S. sealed the win with a fourth powerplay goal.
Penalties: 8:5. PP goals: 1:4. SH goals: 0:0.
Referees: Stano, Štefik – Durmis, Konc ml. Attendance: 1112.
Report
Goals came quickly in the final. Just 10 seconds in, Elton Hermansson fired from the right circle to give Sweden the lead. Though the U.S. didn’t score on their first powerplay, Levi Harper equalised soon after. Another Swedish penalty followed, and this time the Americans capitalised when Jack Hextall sent a perfect pass to Noah Davidson, who tapped the puck in by the right post to get the USA into the lead for the first time in the game.
The back-and-forth continued. In the 7th minute, Hampus Zirath scored from the blue line through traffic to tie it again. Sweden nearly regained the lead, but Nils Bartholdsson hit the post. The U.S., however, stayed efficient on the powerplay, with Hextall scoring from the slot to make it 3:2, giving Team USA the lead heading into the first intermission.
Early in the second, Sweden’s discipline slipped again and the U.S. were offered another chance to score with an extra man on the ice. Nikita Klepov cut inside from the right and roofed a shot to extend the lead to 4:2. The Americans piled on the pressure with more shots, but then went down two players. With the extra space to combine, Sweden finally took advantage – in the 39th minute, Hermansson scored again from the right circle to make it 4:3 and get the score within touching distance for Sweden.
In the third, Sweden took back-to-back penalties. They managed to kill off most of it, and even avoided a fifth goal when a video review disallowed Kalder Varga’s apparent score due to a kicking motion. Still, another Swedish penalty proved costly. Nicholas Bogas picked up the puck at the blue line, skated into the left circle and fired home a Team USA powerplay goal. Sweden pulled their goalie for a final push late in the game but couldn’t break through the solid American defence.