Playing for the first time in Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid during these World University Games, Team USA defeated Japan, 4-3 on an overtime goal from Sam Ruffin (Adrian) to send the US to the gold medal game against either Canada or Kazakhstan on Sunday.
The first period saw both teams playing aggressively with the USA taking an early two goal lead on tallies from Austin Master (Stevenson) and a shorthanded goal by Luke Aquaro (Hobart). Japan would answer back on the power play as the USA got into a 5-on-3 situation and the Japan team’s crisp movement of the puck netted a pair of extra-man goals to tie the game at 2-2. Just before the end of the period, the USA had some sustained pressure in the Japan end and defenseman Brendan Marks fired a rising wrist shot from the point that eluded a screened goaltender Eiki Sato, high on the blocker side for a goal with just 13 seconds remaining in the period and a 3-2 Team USA lead.
Both teams tightened up defensively in the second period and despite some good chances on both ends Sato and Team USA’s Ryan Kenny (Stevenson) kept the score at 3-2 after forty minutes of play.
In the third period, the US team carried the play and extended their shot advantage but could not take advantage of their power play opportunities leaving an opening for Japan which they cashed in on a power play with a goal from Riosuke Miura that deflected off a USA player past Kenny tie the game at 3-3 with just over ten minutes remaining in regulation time. Neither team could score in the remaining time left in the third period as both goaltenders came up with some key saves. Team USA would finish with a commanding 49-23 shot advantage, but the game would extend to a 10-minute, 3-on-3 overtime period to decide a winner.
In the extra session, Team USA was dominant in puck possession and created a couple of early chances before Jack Jaunich (Aurora) tapped a loose puck from the top of the crease back to Sam Ruffin (Adrian) in the slot where he toe-dragged to his left and fired a rising shot past Sato’s glove at the far post for the overtime winner.
Team USA will be playing in the gold medal game for the first time in tournament history and looking for their first medal since 1972 when they took home a bronze medal in the tournament that only fielded three-teams. They await the winner of today’s Canada v. Kazakhstan (January 21 at 1 PM EST) game to play in the gold medal game at 5 PM EST on Sunday, January 22. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
