U.S. Defeats Germany, 6-3 in World Junior Championship Exhibition
Will Face Russia In World Junior Championship Opener,Dec. 25
December 23, 2004
Courtesy of USAhockey.com
Thief River Falls, Minn. - Dan Fritsche (Parma, Ohio/Sarnia Sting) notched two goals including the game-winner as Team USA won its final exhibition game over Germany, 6-3, on Wednesday night. With the score tied at three and just seven minutes remaining in regulation, Fritsche fired a spinning puck over the right shoulder of German goalie, Thomas Greiss. Kevin Porter (Detroit, Mich./Univ. of Michigan) and Chris Bourque (Topsfield, Mass./Boston Univ.) would seal the win for the U.S., scoring the final goals with
less than five minutes remaining.
Following a scoreless first period, team USA Captain Ryan Suter (Madison, Wis./Milwaukee Admirals) broke onto the scoreboard to start what would be a six-goal period, putting a hard shot from the point into the German net just four minutes into the second stanza.
Germany responded quickly, scoring three goals within 67 seconds to take a two-goal lead. First, Kai Hospelt capitalized on a U.S. penalty, scoring the equalizer from down low. Next, Marcus Kink would go stickside off a pass from Steffen Tolzer for Germany's first
lead. The final German goal of the frenzy came on an Andre Reiss breakaway with just over 13 minutes to play in the second period.
The German lead wouldn't last long. Robbie Schremp (Fulton, N.Y. / London Knights) started the U.S. comeback, firing a hard shot from the circle at 13:34. Just over four minutes later, Fritsche brought the teams even, turning a pass from Porter into a nifty backhanded score at 17:54.
Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill./Univ. of Michigan) started the game for the U.S. before trading with Cory Schneider (Marblehead, Mass./Boston College) at the 10 minute mark of the second. Germany also switched netminders at the midpoint with Youri Ziffzer relinquishing duties to Thomas Greiss. Schneider and Greiss each were creditted with the decision. Ziffzer was named Player of the Game for Germany, while Fritsche recieved the honors for the U.S., which
faces Russia on Dec. 25 in the team's tournament opener at 7:35 p.m. at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.
GER 0 3 0 3
USA 0 3 3 6
First Period: Scoring: None. Penalties: GER, Busch
(tripping), 1:27; GER, Schopper (hooking), 12:59; USA,
Weller (slashing), 18:19.
Second Period: Scoring: 1, USA, Suter (Stafford),
4:57; 2, GER, Hospelt (Busch), 5:41 (PP); 3, GER,
Tolzer (Kink), 6:20; 4, GER, Reiss (Blank), 6:47; 5,
USA, Schremp (Likens, Dowell) 3:34. Penalties: USA,
O'Sullivan (slashing) 5:14; USA, Suter
(Cross-checking) 7:23; GER, Carciola (tripping) 9:31;
USA, Pineault (roughing) 11:46; GER, Kapzan (roughing)
11:46.
Third Period: Scoring: 7, USA, Fritsche (Hagemo),
12:55; 8, USA, Porter (unassisted), 15:51; 9, USA,
Bourque (Fritsche), 19:25 (PP). Penalties: USA, Borer
(holding) 1:49; GER, Schopper (roughing) 7:11; USA,
Callahan (roughing) 7:11. USA, Schremp (roughing)
14:21. GER, Blank (roughing) 14:21. USA, Stafford
(roughing) 14:21. GER, Reiss (roughing) 14:21. USA,
O'Sullivan (roughing) 17:31. GER, Reiss (roughing)
17:31. GER, Blank (Cross-checking) 17:31.
Goaltending:
GER, Greiss (29:21), 9-4-DNP--13; GER, Ziffzer
(31:39), DNP-10-10--20. USA, Montoya (29:21),
6-1-DNP--7; USA, Schneider (31:39) DNP-2-11--13
