I think Slovakia just won the #WorldJuniors? pic.twitter.com/LTwCBK0RIM
— Janik Beichler (@JanikBeichler) December 29, 2017
Who saw this coming?
Serious underdog Team Slovakia defeated Team USA in an improbable end to their preliminary round match up on Thursady night in Buffalo.
It was the first Slovak win over USA at the World Junior Hockey Championships since the 2009 quarter-finals, a string of six losses in between. The result puts the USA and Slovakia in second place with Finland, all three countries have three points in the Group A standings behind Canada (six).
Buffalo Sabres prospect Casey Mittelstadt (1st round 2017) played the role of real American hero. For only for a moment.
Trailing 2-1 with 3:11 remaning in regulation play, Mittelstadt's virtuoso dangle tied the game at 2-2 late in the third period.
MITTELSTADT WITH A RIDICULOUS GOAL. Ties the game again. #Sabres pic.twitter.com/1IrlnvCCmn
— Janik Beichler (@JanikBeichler) December 29, 2017
Casey Mittelstadt. No comment.
— Steve Kournianos (@TheDraftAnalyst) December 29, 2017
Tie game. pic.twitter.com/9NkgI9M57n
The Buffalo Sabres desperately need Mittelstadt's brand of offensive creativity and imagination right freakin now. It won't be long until Mittelstadt and Jack Eichel are droping bombs on opponents in Buffalo.
Moments after Mittelstadt's magical moment, Slovak forward Samuel Bucek shocked the hockey world when he scored the game winning goal at 17:52 of the third to give Slovakia a 3-2 win over the U.S.
Bucek roared down the left side, went behind the American goal when Joseph Woll over-committed, and tried to tuck the puck in. Woll made a great lunging save, but Bucek got the rebound and found the net.
It was the first Slovak win over the U.S. since 2009. The loss puts the U.S. at 1-1, the same record as Slovakia.
Even that came as a result of a counter-attack after another good Slovak scoring chance. Ryan Poehling drove down the right side and fed a perfect saucer pass to Tkachuk cutting to the net. Tkachuk controlled the puck, made a slick deke, and tucked the puck five hole on Roman Durny, who had been impressive in goal for Slovakia.
Filip Krivosik scored a deuce for Slovakia.
Slovak goalie Roman Durny Made 43 saves on 45 shots faced.
Brady Tkachuk potter USA’s first goal.
Here are your highlights:
Thanks, IIHF
Mittelstadt summed it up perfectly after the heartbreaking loss to Slovakia.
"You can’t take anyone for granted," Mittelstadt said . "We’ve just got to be better, plain and simple . We’re excited to get out there tomorrow, but at the same time, we are definitely disappointed in tonight….
There is no time for boo boo face and feeling bad for oneself. The young Americans have to wipe their memory banks clean and attack Canada for sixty minutes on Friday.
Puck drop will be at 3pm EDT for USA-Canada outdoors in Buffalo on Friday afternoon.
If I were team USA management, I would be pissed off that my team was scheduled to play at 8pm EDT Thursday night then again the next day at 3pm EDT. All while Team canada sat at their comfy and cozy hotel while watching USA-Slovakia on TV. Canada was idle on Thursday.
Nice job @iihf scheduling @usahockey Thursday night indoors at 7pm EDT and again Friday outdoors 3pm EDT #WJCInBUF
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) December 29, 2017
It matters not what Team USA says. It only matters what they do from here on out in this short tourney. Failure is not an option at this point for Team USA. They must beat Canada. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
You better belive that the young Americans will be pissed off and looking for a street fight against Canada. It's going to be a legendary USA-Canada snowball fight on Friday.
I cannot wait!
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Thanks, IIHF
In these parts, they call him "Snipeshow".
Alexander Nylander has a quick trigger finger and he isn't afraid to use it.
Nylander, the 2016 first round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, scored a goal and an assist for his native Sweden in their 3-1 victory over the Czechs at the IIHF World Junior Hickey Championships in Buffalo.
Nylander's quick release is his calling card. He wasted little time scoring his first goal of the tourney, a power play tally. Nylander also chipped in an assist. He now has a goal and three assists in his first two games played at the WJC's.
Sweden also got goals from Nylander's fellow Sabres prospect Marcus Davidsson and Elias Pettersson, a Vancouver Canucks prospect.
Rasmus Dahlin added two assists. Dahlin is rospective first overall pick at the 2018 NFL Draft.
"I think we played well in the first and third periods," said Pettersson. "The second period was the Czechs’ period. But overall, it was a great game."
Swedish starter Filip Gustavsson made 24 saves for the victory, and Jakub Skarek had 32 saves for the Czechs.
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