It was billed as "McDavid vs. Eichel", however, the clash of the hockey titans was much more than a meeting of two individuals. This one was a tale of two warring hockey nations, playing for respect and bragging rights. It became an instant classic!
Canada defeated USA 5-3 to capture first place in Group A on New Year's Eve in Montreal. The tourney now shifts to Toronto where Canada will get the easier draw in either Switzerland or Denmark. Sweden will face Finland or Germany.
In Montreal, USA will face either Russia or Denmark.
Buffalo Sabres center man of the future Sam Reinhart scored the game winning goal and added two assists on Max Domi’s two goal. Josh Morrissey and Curtis Lazar also scored.
Lazar’s goal was highly controversial as it had to be reviewed by the IIHF. He was clearly in Demko’s crease and appeared to interfere with the USA goalie during the mad scramble for the puck that kissed off Lazar’s left glove.
Thanks @PeteBlackburn
Team USA was not happy with the ruling. I can’t say that I blame them. The Lazar “goal… changed the momentum of the entire game. To their credit, USA shook off the negativity and kept fighting, twice scoring on Eric Comrie in the third period.
Dylan Larkin scored twice for the Americans and Anthony DeAngelo also scored for USA. Sonny Milano had a pair of helpers.
Comrie and the USA tender Thatcher Demko were outstanding for their respective teams. Canada outshot the U.S. 43-28.
The game was widely billed as a clash between Canada’s Connor McDavid and the U.S.’s Jack Eichel, the two talented centres who are vying to be selected first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. Overall, Eichel was more involved in the play, notching one assist, but McDavid had his moments, making a beautiful rush that led to the 3-1 goal in the third period.
Canada went up 3-1 midway through the third when Connor McDavid rushed down the left wing wall and ripped a high shot off Demko's left shoulder. Lazar charged into the USA crease the rest is now history in this classic battle of the hockey version of the Hatfields vs. McCoys. After the controversial Lazar goal, Sonny Milano created a turnover near Canada’s blue line and hit Buffalo Sabres prospect Hudson Fasching on the move. Fasching exploded through the slot and found a Larkin parked all alone at the goal post for a beauty. Then, depression set in for USA when with Demko pulled for the extra attacker, Reinhart ripped a puck off of DeAngelo at the point and scored into the yawning cage with 55 seconds left.
With 42 seconds left to play in regulation time, Larkin shelfed one past Comrie: high cheese made it 4-3.
The USA comeback attempt died when Reinhart made a billiards bank-the-puck play off the wall to Domi who scored his second of the game into the open net.
After his 3 pt. game vs. USA, Samson Reinhart is now the WJC Tourney point leader with 8 points: 3G, 5A in 4 games @BuffaloSabres @HC_Men
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) January 1, 2015
Canada is now 7-3 lifetime in New Years Eve games against USA.
Rest assured, these two teams will meet again in this tourney.
#WJC2015 #MTL | @Jack_Eichel11 on @HC_Men: "I don't know how much we like them and I'm sure they don't like us much." pic.twitter.com/CXu8Fm6IbR
— 2015 World Juniors (@HC_WJC) January 1, 2015
More to come…..