USA vs. Russia final: Americans mount comeback but fall in World Juniors opener to rival Russia

Dear Santa,

2020 has been tough, to say the least, but you left the best gift for last. A night-capper of Russia versus the United States. The best preliminary matchup. On Christmas Day. Thanks buddy. You’re the best.

Love, hockey fans everywhere.

It’d been 16 years since world juniors kicked off on Christmas Day  — which also featured the same two teams going at it back then — and like any good ‘ol meeting between two big rivals this Russia-USA lived up to the hype.

Two of the top three teams in the tournament met on opening day of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and Russia skated away with a 5-3 win. While the score looked like it was a close contest, the Americans faltered throughout much of the game and at one point trailed 4-1. Spencer Knight allowed four goals on 12 shots — a few of those goals were off bad decisions by the netminder — including the fourth goal he sent up the boards right to Russia’s Ilya Safonov — that he would certainly like to have back.

“He’s an outstanding goalie. I’m sure he would have liked to have that last one back,” head coach Nate Leaman confirmed post-game. “But … I’ve seen him have a bad game before on tape in the league and shut a team out. So, I think for the most part we’ll watch the tape but I don’t have any doubts about Spencer bouncing back.”

However, while the United States struggled with turnovers, puck management, pucks in transition and poor puck support throughout most of the game, one thing they can carry into the game on Saturday is that they did not buckle. In the third period, trailing 4-1, the team turned it up and notched two goals against what many would say is the best goaltender in the tournament; speaking of Yaroslav Askarov, he lived up to the hype making some fantastic saves over the course of the full 60 minutes.

In the end, it wasn’t enough.

“We had a couple of shifts or moments where we weren’t playing our best and playing our game,” said John Farinacci who scored to make it 4-2. “But I think, you know, obviously we had a good comeback and we came back there in the third and I think that’s what we got to stick to as this tournament goes on.”

The U.S. will now have a tight turnaround as they’ll face off against Austria on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

“We’ve got to have a short mindset,” said Dustin Wolf who relieved Knight and may get the start on Saturday. Leaman said they would make the decision in the morning. “Our head coach Nate Leaman, our topic right now is we’re on to the next barrel. That barrel is behind us now and we’ll focus on the next one and have a short mindset going into it.”

Sporting News had all the heart-thumping action between these two powerhouses in Game 1 of the tournament.

(All times Eastern.)

USA vs. Russia scores, highlights from 2021 World Juniors preliminary game

Final score: Russia 5, USA 3

Third period: Russia 5, USA 3

11:53 p.m. — EN GOAL.  Yegor Chinakhov picks up the puck and breaks in for the goal. Russia leads 5-3.

11:53 p.m. — Wolf pulled. 

11:52 p.m. — With 61 seconds on the clock, USA calls a timeout. 

11:49 p.m. — PP GOAL. It’s a one-goal game! Trevor Zegras with the point shot as it gets past a screened Askarov. It was a 6-on-4 as Wolf had been pulled  Russia leads 4-3.

11:46 p.m. — Three minutes left. USA trails 4-2 and get another power play.

11:43 p.m. — Arthur Kaliyev gets a good chance on the power play but is stopped by Askarov.

11:42 p.m. — USA gets a power play.

11:40 p.m. — Then Jackson LaCombe mishandles the puck and Yegor Chinakhov breaks in but Wolf makes the stop.

11:40 p.m. — Americans buzzing again. Askarov making some diving saves with and without his stick. Boldy and Caufield getting chances.

11:36 p.m. — Askarov getting his mask fixed. A tactic with the Americans buzzing?  He was bumped on the goal, so, maybe not.

11:33 p.m. — GOAL. The US maintains control in the Russian zone. Drew Helleson puts the puck on net from the point and John Farinacci buries the rebound. Russia leads 4-2.

11:22 p.m. — Wolf makes a good save on a one-timer from the point.

11:19 p.m. — Third period is a go.

11:14 p.m. — Friendly reminder: Canada got shellacked by Russia in last year’s preliminary round and still won gold. 

Second period: Russia 4, USA 1

11:00 p.m. — Some pleasantries being said at the end of the period. Maybe that’ll spark the Americans.

10:54 p.m. — The second shot Wolf faces? A partial breakaway that he saves. Wolf is a solid netminder and could be a No. 1 on any other team.

10:48 p.m. — Knight has been pulled after allowing four goals on 12 shots. Flames prospect Dustin Wolf is in. Knight did not have a great 2020 tourney (2-2, 2.49 GAA, .913 save percentage) and was looking for a better result in 2021. This was not the start he was looking for.

10:47 p.m. — GOAL . Wow. Spencer Knight not having a good night. Plays a puck that was being iced and turns it right over to Russia’s Ilya Safonov who scores as Knight tries to scramble back. Russia leads 4-1.

10:43 p.m. — GOAL. Off a dump-in, Americans turn it over (Jake Sanderson) as they stand around and Vasily Ponomaryov (CAR) gets his second of the game. Russia leads 3-1.

10:39 p.m. — USA heads to the power play. They would get some zone time but nothing came of it.

10:32 p.m. — My goodness. Cole Caufield has some silky mitts.

10:30 p.m. — GOAL . What a head-man pass by Maxim Groshev (TBL) — you don’t see it in the video but it was ridiculously good as it came from the defensive zone — to Zakhar Bardakov (2021 eligible) who breaks in a beats Knight five-hole. Russia leads 2-1.

10:29 p.m. — Americans getting some good chances early on as Bobby Brink misses a wide-open net.

10:28 p.m. — This is a head-scratcher.

10:27 p.m. — Second period is underway.

10:12 p.m. — Some intermission reading —  It’s gold or bust’: NHL players look back on World Junior Championship memories

First period: USA 1, Russia 1

10:04 p.m. — Russia heads to the power play with 3:22 left on the clock. (They don’t get much action.)

9:58 p.m. — GOAL. Captain Cam York (PHI) sends the puck to the net and — while originally thought Matthew Boldy deflected but was changed during intermission — the puck squeaks between the arm and body of Askarov.  Game tied 1-1.

9:55 p.m. — Trevor Zegras and Yaroslav Askarov are a modern-day Sean Avery and Martin Brodeur.

9:52 p.m. — Americans pick things up now and have a good chunk of offensive zone time with Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield getting some good looks. USA finally with shots on net (about 12 minutes in, yikes).

9:49 p.m. — GOAL. Russia controls the puck off a dump-in and Hurricanes prospect Vasily Ponomaryov with a masterful deflection that sends the puck fluttering past Knight. Russia leads 1-0.

9:44 p.m. — Power play ends as the Americans struggled with zone entry and couldn’t get set up. They don’t register a shot on net  — and in fact, with more than six minutes ticked off, they don’t have a single shot in the game. Russia has three.

9:42 p.m. — USA gets a power play as Alex Turcotte gets taken down while driving to the net. Not a good start for the Russians as the Americans have some firepower.

9:40 p.m. — Both teams came out looking to set the tempo but so far just a lot of up-and-down hockey with neither team sustaining any pressure.

9:40 p.m. — USA gets lucky as they had too many men but didn’t get caught.

9:38 p.m. — “Great day for hockey.”   Puck has been dropped.

Pregame

9:22 p.m. — It’ll be Askarov vs. Knight. Buckle up.

9:10 p.m. — If you missed this from earlier today, you should definitely watch it now.

8:50 p.m. — How the Russians will go.

8:23 p.m. — That top-6.

7:12 p.m. — Getting ready.

World Juniors 2021: Latest news

Tournament

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Canada