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U.S. Defeats Russia, 4-2, Moves to 3-0 in Men's Worlds

05/04/2015, 10:30am EDT
By USA Hockey

3-0 Start Best by U.S. Since 1997

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – Trevor Lewis (Salt Lake City, Utah/Los Angeles Kings), Torey Krug (Livonia, Mich./Boston Bruins), Mark Arcobello (Milford, Conn./Arizona Coyotes) and Brock Nelson (Warroad, Minn./N.Y. Islanders) each scored to help the U.S. Men’s National Team defeat Russia, 4-2, here today in preliminary round play at the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship.

The win gives the United States its best start at the IIHF Men’s World Championship since opening the event with the same 3-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record at the 1997 tournament.

"The credit goes to our players," said Todd Richards, head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team. "They played a terrific game and I couldn't be more proud of our effort. It was a well deserved win. We'll take tomorrow off and be back at it with practice on Wednesday before we play Belarus on Thursday."

Lewis put Team USA on the board just 6:22 into the contest when he batted a rebound over Russian goaltender Sergei Bobrovski’s shoulder. After Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass./Boston University) cleanly won a draw in the offensive zone, Seth Jones (Plano, Texas/Nashville Predators) sent a shot through traffic that hit Bobrovski and bounced right to Lewis at the edge of the crease. Lewis fought through a Russian defender and knocked the loose puck into the top corner of the net.

Russia answered to tie the game 3:40 into the second period when Anton Belov skated into the circle and scored, but Krug found the back of the net on a five-on-three power play three minutes later to help the U.S. retake the lead. The play started when Jones managed to hold the offensive blue line after a Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn./Carolina Hurricanes) one-timer went wide and around the wall. Jones chipped the puck to Krug in the left circle, where Krug moved to the middle, paused and fired a shot up high over Bobrovski’s glove.

Arcobello buried one with 11:52 gone in the third stanza to put the U.S. up, 3-1. Jimmy Vesey (North Reading, Mass./Harvard University) blocked a Russian attempt to move the puck up ice in the neutral zone, and Arcobello grabbed the loose puck, moved through the right circle and placed a wrist shot just inside the near post.

The Russians notched a goal at 16:19 to cut the U.S. advantage to 3-2 and pulled Bobrovski late, but Nelson scored into the empty net to clinch the victory for Team USA.

Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.), playing in his first game at the men's world championship, turned aside 15 shots in the winning effort.

"It was far more fun than I ever thought it could be," said Campbell. "It was a fast game with a lot of great players so it's just an honor to be out there and get the win with these guys."

The U.S. Men’s National Team continues its preliminary round schedule Thursday (May 7) against Belarus at 4:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. ET). The contest can be seen live on NBCSN in the United States and will be available online via NBC Sports Live Extra.

NOTES: Torey Krug was named the U.S. Player of the Game ... Jack Eichel won 15 of 21 faceoffs in the game ... Justin Faulk logged 25:48 of ice time to lead Team USA ... Krug's four shots on goal topped all players in the game ... Team USA will have tomorrow completely off and return to practice on Wednesday before its game Thursday against Belarus ... Team USA has held its first three opponents without a power-play goal, killing off all 11 man-advantage opportunities ... The U.S. gained its first power-play goal of the world championship today with a 5-on-3 goal by Torey Krug in the second period. The U.S. is now 1-for-10 in man-advantage situations ... Dean Lombardi, a member of the U.S. Men's National Team Advisory Group, will arrive in Ostrava on Wednesday (May 6).


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2015 Results

Date Opponent Time (Local/ET)/Result
April 28 Austria (ex.) W, 4-1
May 1 Finland W, 5-1
May 2 Norway W, 2-1
May 4 Russia W, 4-2
May 7 Belarus L, 2-5
May 8 Denmark W, 1-0
May 10 Slovenia W, 3-1
May 12 Slovakia W, 5-4 OT
May 14 Switzerland
Quarterfinals
W, 3-1
May 16 Russia
Semifinals
L, 0-4
May 17 Czech Republic
Bronze Medal Game
W, 3-0


Game Day: USA vs. Russia


OSTRAVA, Czech Republic -- The U.S. Men's National Team looks to start the IIHF Men's World Championship with three straight wins for the first time since 1997 when it faces Russia here today at 4:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. ET).

The game will be televised live on the U.S. on NBCSN and also streamed live through NBC Sports Live Extra.

Jack Campbell will get the call in goal for the U.S. today. He has won three gold medals (2009 & 2010 U18/2010 U20) and one bronze medal (2011 U20) in IIHF world championship play already his career. He owns an 18-6 mark in IIHF world championship play with a 1.61 goals against average and .940 save percentage. Campbell played the 2014-15 campaign with the Texas Stars of the AHL.

Team USA opened the men's world championship on Friday (May 1) victory over Finland with a 2-1 triumph over Norway on Saturday (May 2). The team had yesterday off.

2015 Results

Date Opponent Time (Local/ET)/Result
April 28 Austria (ex.) W, 4-1
May 1 Finland W, 5-1
May 2 Norway W, 2-1
May 4 Russia W, 4-2
May 7 Belarus L, 2-5
May 8 Denmark W, 1-0
May 10 Slovenia W, 3-1
May 12 Slovakia W, 5-4 OT
May 14 Switzerland
Quarterfinals
W, 3-1
May 16 Russia
Semifinals
L, 0-4
May 17 Czech Republic
Bronze Medal Game
W, 3-0

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