Hudson Fasching scored two goals against Germany to give him three for the World Junior’s. (photo: NHL.com)
Team USA had to kill off two early penalties, the second putting them at a five on three disadvantage for 1:38 early, in the game. They tried to carry the momentum from getting out of a bad spot into a power play opportunity moments after getting back to even strength but were unable to convert. With 8:09 gone in the first it was Hudson Fasching picking up his second goal of the tournament off of a feed from Andrew Copp to put Team USA up 1-0.
Two minutes after getting on the board on an even strength goal Team USA got their second power play opportunity. It appeared that Germany would successfully kill off a penalty keeping the tournament leading power play team from scoring but with three seconds remaining in the man advantage Team USA struck. Vince Hinostroza made a cross ice pass down low to Nicolas Kerdiles who buried the puck to put Team USA up 2-0 with 8:04 remaining in the first.
A check from behind by Team Germany player Leon Draisaitl on Andrew Copp drew a five-minute major penalty and an ejection for Draisaitl 22 seconds into the second period. Copp stayed on the ice face down for a few minutes before he skated off on his own power. Team USA drew a second penalty on Germany to go on the five on three advantage for a full two minutes. They only needed 39 seconds of the two-man advantage to make it a 3-0 game. Will Butcher picked up his second goal in Sweden off of a feed from Jack Eichel. Just over a minute later Hinostroza buried it to make it 4-0 during the five minute major.
Shortly after the halfway mark of the game Team USA got another power play opportunity once again converting. Riley Barber picked up his third goal in as many games when he scored just over one minute into the game. Moments later Germany was called for two minor penalties at the same time to give Team USA their second five on three advantage of the game. Matt Grzelcyk snipped on in from the point 34 seconds into the power play leaving Team USA with a five on four advantage for 1:24. Germany managed to kill off the rest of the penalty to keep the game at 6-0, which is how the second period ended.
Team Germany changed their goalie to start the third period pulling Patrick Klein for Kevin Reich. Reich looked sharp through the first half of the third before allowing a power play goal at the 10:05 mark. Steven Santini deflected a Matt Grzelcyk to put Team USA up 7-0. Hinostroza picked up his second goal of the game with just over six minutes remaining in the game for Team USA’s final goal.
Fabio Wagner of Germany and Hudson Fasching each picked up Player of the Game honors.
Team USA’s next game comes against Canada after a day off on Tuesday at 11:30am ET getting Canada on the back end of a back to back. Russia, who is headed for regulation play, wraps up preliminary play against Czech Republic on Monday.
