Team USA scored the mother of wins against Slovenia with a 3-1 victory.
Brock Nelson, Trevor Lewis and Jack Eichel are USA's best line at the tournament and once again did all of the damage for USA.
Nelson and Lewis each collected three points in the game. Nelson had two goals and Eichel the other, his first goal of the tourney to go along with three assists.
Nelson now has 6G, 3A for 9 points at the Worlds.
Team USA improved to 5-1 at the World Championship and moved atop Group B with 15 points.
Defending champion Russia and Olympic bronze medalist Finland each have 12 points with two games left each. USA defeated Russia and Finland earlier in group play.
Belarus, which beat the U.S. on Thursday, is in fourth place in Group B with 10 points through five of seven group games.
USA will clinch the top spot in the group if it beats Slovakia in its group finale on Tuesday
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Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel are the two generational players at the top of the 2015 NHL Draft.
One the hype dies down on McDavid and Eichel, you will be hearing more and more about the next "Next One".
According to the Blick new service, the ZSC Lions have found their fourth import-player in American sniper Auston Matthews. The Arizona native is projected to be the #1 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
With the Matthews signing, former NHL coach Marc Crawford will remain with the ZSC Lions as their head coach.
Matthews recently played the Under 18 World Championship in Switzerland with Team USA.
Matthews won the gold medal and was also voted the tournament's best forward and MVP, thanks to scoring eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in seven games.
At 6'2 and 200 lbs. Matthews, 17, is a super-skilled center man who reminds many scouts of Steven Stamkos.
Matthews scored 55 goals and added 61 assists in 60 games with the US National Development Team this past season.
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Happy Mother's Day to all of you dedicated hockey Moms!
Savor the day with your families.
Good Bless You All!
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Todd McLellan and Team Canada have been tearing up the IIHF World Championships in Prague. For the past week, McLellan and his players have been perfect at the Worlds. Two of McLellan's top performers there have been Edmonton Oilers wizards Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle.
Canada's dominant performances at the Worlds have added equity to McLellan's coaching stock.
Last Sunday, Oilers GM Pete Chiarelli interviewed McLellan for the bench boss job in Edmonton. Word out of Prague has been favorable regarding the way that Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle have been vibing with McLellan during off ice activities and during games. Chiarelli may well have found his next head coach in McLellan.
Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday night that the Oilers may well be ready to offer McLellan a contract even before Chiarelli gets a shot at presenting a contract offer to Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock.
Thanks, Sportsnet
A McLellan hiring by Edmonton would eliminate a serious suitor from the chase for Babcock. On Friday, Oilers GM Ken Holland granted permission to Babcock to speak with teams NHL teams that are interested in hiring him.
Friedman spoke with Babcock on Saturday and said that he has to have a comfort level with the GM and owner of the team that he signs with. Be it the Red Wings or another NHL team.
Another one of Babcock's criteria is being sold on the GM's overall plan for the team. Money will not be an object for Babcock because he knows that wherever he eventually lands that he will get paid a king's ransom.
Buffalo GM Tim Murray has a deep rooted relationship with Babcock. Murray hired Babcock to be the head coach of the then Cincinnati Mighty Ducks while both men worked for the Anaheim Ducks and the Samueli family.
Let's assume that the Oilers slip a ring on McLellan's finger and Babcock will be available to Buffalo. Having worked successfully with Babcock in the past, Murray knows what his touch points are. Murray would likely have no problems at all collaborating with Babcock on such matters as the NHL draft, player development and roster shaping. Murray and Babcock have danced this dance before. Babcock would have confidence that Murray could deliver a winning strategy not only in Buffalo but in AHL Rochester as well.
Babcock is a defense-first head coach. The Sabres have a vault loaded with defensive gems in Zach Bogosian, Josh Gorges, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikitita Zadorov, Mark Pysyk, and Jake McCabe.
Murray will also hand Babcock a gift-wrapped puck possessing terror in the form of Jack Eichel. Sam Reinhart will raise eyebrows. Throw in sniper Evander Kane, Tyler Ennis, Matt Moulson, Mikhail Grigorenko, Cody Hodgson, Marcus Foligno, Nic Deslauriers, Johan Larsson and others. There's a lot top like about the Buffalo opportunity as it pertains to Babcock.
Who will play goal for Babcock? Whoever he wants to. Murray and Babcock can scour the NHL and find the next rising star be it John Gibson, Zach Fucale, Robin Lehner, Malcolm Subban, Jacob Markstrom, Andrei Vasilevsky, Kirster Gudlevskis.
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