AMERICANS SPREAD AROUND SCORING IN BIG WIN OVER CZECHS
JASON LA ROSE
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Ty Gallagher scored twice as part of a seven-goal second period that propelled the United States to a 10-1 win over the Czech Republic as both teams opened Group A play Sunday at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Eighteen of 20 skaters put their names on the scoresheet for the Americans, who became the first team since the start of the eight-team format in 2014 to reach double-digits in a single game.
Chaz Lucius had two goals and an assist, and Jack Hughes added a goal and two helpers as the U.S. avenged its 2-1 loss to the Czechs in the seventh-place game a year ago.
The scoring started early, but it was the Europeans who struck first; Petr Moravec got a quick shot past a surprised Gibson Homer just 35 seconds after the puck dropped.
Lucius brought the U.S. even on the power play just four minutes later, one-timing a set-up from Dylan Duke past goaltender Daniel Kral to send the game to the intermission even at 1-1.
It didn’t stay that way for long once the second period got underway.
Tyler Boucher was first just 16 seconds in, roofing a shot over the shoulder of Kral from in close.
Duke wired in a shot at 3:11, Gallagher got his first on an absolute rocket that hit the cross-bar and the back of Kral before tricking in at 4:42 and Liam Gilmartin cruised through the slot to beat Kral past the glove at 7:16, spelling the end of the afternoon for the Czech netminder after five goals on 14 shots.
Jack Hughes gave Tomas Suchanek a rude welcome to the game, going bar-down over his short-side shoulder just 42 seconds after the change to make it 6-1.
Gallagher added his second goal at 9:50, finishing off a pretty passing play with Jeremy Wilmer and Jack Devine, and Sean Behrens walked off the side-boards to beat Suchanek and push the lead to seven late in the stanza.
With the result well in hand, Lucius roofed a backhand for his second goal early in the third period before Ryan St. Louis raced away and went five-hole on Suchanek for a late shorthanded goal to finish the scoring.
The U.S., which finished with a 34-18 edge in shots on goal, is back in action at the Canalta Centre on Monday night (7 p.m. MT) against Canada White, while the Czechs are on the ice for the matinee (3 p.m. MT) against Canada Black.
Name | Team | Mins | SA | SVS | GA | SV% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gibson Homer | USA | 60 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 0.944 |
Daniel Kral | CZE | 27 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0.643 |
Tomas Suchanek | CZE | 32 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 0.750 |