The following is the game account written by Mark Spector in today's
Edmonton Journal:
USA BEATS GHOST OF PAST RUSSIAN GREATNESS
There was a time when they called it a miracle if Team USA could
muster up the courage to knock off the Russians. Those days, however,
are deader than the Cold War.
As far as USA has gone up on the international scene, Russia has
fallen almost as far back into the pack, and Monday Team USA beat Russia
4-3 to open the world junior hockey tournament as Innisfail. USA build
up a 4-0 lead and then hung on for a 4-3 victory, despite being outplayed
in two of three periods.
"Hopefully we learned some lessons tonights," said Team USA coach
Jeff Jackson, "about knowing how to start the game, and how to be
comfortable going into the third."
After a scoreless first period Team USA scored four second period
goals. The Russians scored their three goals in the final 9:20 of the
third period, and came very close to tying the game.
"Towards the end of the third period it was getting a little bit
scary--a few guys were getting nervous," said Edmonton Oilers draft pick
Jason Bonsignore. "Fortunately we hung on, and it was a great way to
start the tournament, beat a great team like the Russians."
They were no longer so great, these Russians.
"I did not recognize my team tonight," said Russian coach Igor
Dimitriyev. "We had many chances, but the team was not normal. We had a
bad game here."
As for Bonsignore, he was average, with no points and just one
penalty despite playing the point on the power play. Jackson rotated his
four lines steadily, though he used Bonsignore to win some key draws.
Shawn Bates [of BU] had a pair for the States, while Jon
Battaglia and Adam Deadmarsh scored power play goals.
FIRST PERIOD
no scoring
Penalties: Koroliouk, Rus (hooking) 4:45; Quint US (slashing) 9:19;
Berard US (hooking) 11:44; Batyrchine Rus (roughing) 12:50; Bonsignore US
(charging) 17:53
SECOND PERIOD
1. US Battaglia 1 (Quint, Berard) 9:05 (pp)
2. US Bates 1 (Crowley) 14:07
3. US Deadmarsh 1 (Park, Haggerty) 17:43 (pp)
4. US Bates 2 (Grier, Berg)
Penalties: Haggerty US (charging) 1:46; Batyrchilne Rus (high sticking)
7:07; Haggarty US (holding stick) 15:01; Bolchenko Rus (interference)
16:56); Tompkins US (hooking) 18:12
THIRD PERIOD
5. RUS Melyakow 1 (Vychedikevitch, Charifianov) 10:40
6. RUS Morozov 1 11:05
7. RUS Koroliouk 1 (Epantchinsev, Vychedkevitch) (pp) 17:54
Penalties: Park US (tripping) 3:46; Haggerty US (hooking) 5:31; Halfnight
US (holding) 17:23
SHOTS ON GOAL
USA 4 17 5 26
RUS 12 7 14 33
I heard on the radio that Bonner was in goal. I will be going today to
the Sweden-US game so I will be able to post a first hand account.
Arthur Berman [log in to unmask]
THE MAPLE LEAF FOREVER!!!
GO BU!!!
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