Dec. 29, 1999
SKELLEFTEA, Sweden – Finland converted on two of seven power-play chances while receiving 34 saves from Ari Ahonen to hand the United States hockey team its first loss in the World Junior Championship, 3-1 in Wednesday’s third-round action.
Despite the loss, the U.S. (1-1-1) already had clinched a spot in the eight-team medal round of the 10-team tournament. With one round-robin game remaining (Jan. 31 vs. Canada), the U.S. can finish no lower than fourth in the five-team Group A (the top four finishers from groups A and B advance to the medal round).
Three Notre Dame players again skated on the U.S. forward lines, with freshman center Connor Dunlop and sophomore David Inman skating on the second line while sophomore Brett Henning centered the fourth line. Dunlop won nine of his 17 faceoffs while Inman- recorded two shots on goal from his right wing position (he also played right wing in the 2-2 tie with the Czech Republic and left wing in the 1-0 win over Finland). Henning won seven of his 10 faceoffs in the loss.
After falling behind 3-0 early in the third period, the U.S-which held a 35-25 edge in shots on goal–quickly responded to avert the shutout. Michigan State left wing Adam Hall-who also scored in the win over Finland–lit the lamp with 15:54 left to play and the U.S. holding a 5-on-3 advantage. Maine right wing Barrett Heisten and Minnesota defenseman Jordan Leopold were credited with assists on the goal, with Hall scoring on a rebound shot in the crease.
The U.S. racked up 17 shots and three power-play chances in the final period but could not rally versus Ahonen, who has helped Finland post a 1.67 goals-against average and .946 save pct. in its three tournament games.
With two games left in the Group A round-robin (Finland plays the Czechs on Dec. 31), the U.S. could finish anywhere from first to fourth. The U.S.-Canada game will begin at 10:00 a.m. EST on New Year’s Eve day and can be followed live via the tournament’s official websites (www.iihf.com and www.jvm2000.org), with real-audio links and television coverage by Canada-based TSN (fans interested in following the game live should consult the official tournament websites or locate facilities capable of receiving TSN via satellite).
Finland (1-1-1) opened the scoring early in the first period, cashing in an interference penalty on Northeastern left wing Willie Levesque. Defenseman Arto Tukio picked up the assist, with first-line left winger Tomek Valtonen lifting the puck over the right shoulder of Boston University’s Rick DiPietro (4:09).
Finland added another man-up goal in the middle of the second period, after New Hampshire right wing Pat Foley was called for a five-minute elbowing penalty (coupled with a 20-minute game misconduct). Tukio scored what proved to be the game-winner, one-timing a shot from just inside the blue line, with first-line center Riku Hahl picking up the assist.
The U.S. faced a 3-0 deficit just five minutes into the third period, as fourth-line left wing Ville Hamalainen skated around DiPietro’s stick side and backhanded a shot into the net. Fourth-line center Mikko Kaukokani assisted on the even-strength goal.
NOTES:
- The U.S. first forward line on Wednesday included Hall, Michigan center Andy Hilbert and Harvard right wing Brett Nowak, Hilbert and Hall
- Inman and Dunlop were joined on the second line by BU’s Daniel Cavanaugh
- the third-line forwards included Levesque, Minnesota C Jeff Taffe and Heisten
- Henning was joined on the fourth line by Foley and Wisconsin’s Brad Winchester
- Wednesday’s defensive pairings included: Michigan’s Jeff Jillson and Boston College’s Brooks Orpik, Colorado College’s Mike Stuart and Maine’s Doug Janik, and BU’s Pat Aufiero and Leopold
- the team’s last two players included UMass-Lowell defenseman Ron Hainsey and BU forward John Sabo
- Wednesday’s other Group A game saw Canada eliminate Slovakia from medal contention with a 4-1 win ? Canada (2-0-1, +4 goal differential) sits atop the Group A standings, followed by the Czech Republic (1-0-2, +3), Finland (1-1-1, +1) and the U.S. (1-1-1, -1)
- wins on Friday by Finland and the U.S. would forge a three-way tie for first (to be decided by goal differential)
- the U.S. also could finish first with a win and a tie between Finlald and the Czechs
- a Finland win and a U.S. tie would leave the U.S. tied with the Czechs in the standings (goal differential tie-breaker)
- a Czech win and U.S. tie would land the U.S. in third place
- ties in both Friday games would put the U.S. in fourth, due to losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with Finland
- the U.S. power play has converted on 2-of-16 chances in the tournament while the U.S. penalty kill has stopped 16-of-19 opponent PPs
- DiPietro owns a 1.67 GAA and .930 save pct. in the tournament.
USA 0 0 1 - 1Finland 1 1 1 - 3
First Period — Scoring: 1, FIN, Valtonen (Tukio) 4:09 (pp). Penalties: Levesque, USA (interference), 3:06, Levesque, USA (tripping), 9:11, Valtonen, FIN (interference), 10:32, Taffe, USA (tripping), 19:44.
Second Period — Scoring: 2, FIN, Tukio (Hahl, Jokela), 13:52 (pp). Penalties: Valtonen, FIN (high sticking), 5:53, Aufiero, USA (slashing), 7:57, Sammalkangas, FIN (unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:57, Heisten, USA (high sticking), 9:57, Foley, USA (elbowing, five minutes) 12:29 (game misconduct).
Third Period — Scoring: 3, FIN, Hamalainen (Viuhkola, Kaukokari), 5:05, 4, USA, Adam Hall (Jordan Leopold, Barrett Heisten), 6:06. Penalties: Tukio, FIN (holding), 5:34, Kankaanpera, FIN (cross-checking), 6:00, Miettinen, FIN (slashing), 9:04, Cavanaugh, USA (hooking), 9:04, Nowak, USA (roughing), 13:46, Heisten, USA (holding), 16:58, Tukio, FIN (holding), 17:59, Heisten, USA (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:22, Vaananen, FIN (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:22.
Shots: USA 10-8-17/34, FIN 8-11-6/25.
Saves: USA, Rick DiPietro (7-10-5/22), FIN, Ari Ahonen (10-8-16/3434).
Power Play: USA 1-for-5, FIN 2-for-7.
Penalties: USA 11 for 43:00, FIN 8 for 16:00.