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STOCKHOLM – Alex Galchenyuk (Milwaukee, Wis./Montreal Canadiens) and goaltender John Gibson(Pittsburgh, Pa./Anaheim Ducks) helped the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 3-2 shootout victory over Finland here today in the bronze-medal game of the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship. In the shootout, Galchenyuk scored on back-to-back attempts, including the game-winner, while Gibson stopped three-of-four Finland shots. In 70 minutes of action, Gibson made 36 saves to help deliver Team USA’s first medal since 2004 (bronze) and only third medal in the world championship since 1963.
“I’m so proud of this young group,” said Joe Sacco, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team, whose average age is 24.8. “We came together as a team and this group was able to achieve something only two other teams have done in the last 50 years for our country and that’s win a medal. It’s not easy. Tonight, we got off to a lead which was important, but Finland came back hard at us, particularly in the third. Then once you get into overtime and a shootout anything can happen. Gibson was outstanding again in goal and it was great to see Galchenyuk score a couple of times in the shootout. I thought we had terrific leadership on this team, and our captain, Paul Stastny, was such a key factor both on and off the ice. You win as a team and ultimately that’s why we were successful.”
Team USA had a hard-working first shift of the game, resulting in a Craig Smith (Madison, Wis./Nashville Predators/Univ. of Wisconsin) rebound goal just :58 in. David Moss‘ (Livonia, Mich./Phoenix Coyotes/Univ. of Michigan) shot was deflected in the right circle, Paul Stastny (St. Louis, Mo./Colorado Avalanche/Univ. of Denver) kept the puck moving across the front of the net and Smith swept it around On the power play, Stastny one-timed a Smith feed into the net at 15:58 to make it 2-0. Jacob Trouba(Rochester, Mich./Winnipeg Jets/Univ. of Michigan) moved the puck from the left point to Team USA maintained its two-goal lead in the second period as neither team found the scoresheet in the frame. Lauri Korpikoski deflected a shot from the point into the net at 8:56 of the third period, trimming the USA lead to 2-1. Ninety seconds later, Gibson made a critical save by dropping his right pad to deny Juhamatta Aaltonen on a breakaway. Finland knotted the game at 2-2 when Korpikoski scored again, this time on a goalmouth feed from Mikael Granlund at 12:18. A scoreless 10-minute overtime period sent the game to a three-round shootout. Shooting first, Team USA missed on its first two opportunities, while Finland scored on its second attempt. In the third round, Galchenyuk made a quick deke and scored high on the blocker side to extend the game. Gibson forced an extra round of shots when he forced Korpikoski to fire wide. The shooting order switched for the fourth round. Finland missed and Galchenyuk used the same move as his first attempt to beat Raanta and clinch the bronze medal. Scoring By Period
First Period – Scoring: 1, USA, Smith (Stastny, Moss), 0:58; 2, USA, Stastny (Trouba, Smith), 15:58 (pp). Penalties: FIN, Korpikoski (roughing), 15:16. Second Period – Scoring: None. Penalties: None.
Third Period – Scoring: 3, FIN, Korpikoski (Vaananen, Granlund), 8:56; 4, FIN, Korpikoski (Granlund, Kontiola), 12:18. Penalties: None.
Overtime – Scoring: None. Penalties: None.
Shootout – USA, Smith (miss); FIN, Kontiola (miss); USA, Oshie (miss); FIN, Pesonen (goal); USA, Galchenyuk (goal); FIN, Korpikoski (miss); FIN, Granlund (miss), USA, Galchenyuk (goal).
Power Play: USA, 1-1; FIN, 0-0Penalties: USA, 0-0; FIN, 1-2 Team USA 2013 IIHF Men’s World Championship Results
May 3-19 • Helsinki, Finland & Stockholm, Sweden
NOTES: Team USA earned its 17th medal at the IIHF Men’s World Championship. It is the sixth bronze medal. Team USA’s last medal – bronze in 2004 – was won in a shootout vs. Slovakia, 1-0. Coincidentally, the U.S. won that shootout by a 4-2 count … Paul Stastny had 15 points, including seven goals and eight assists, to lead Team USA … T.J. Oshie was named Team USA’s Player of the Game … Team USA’s best three players of the tournament were named and included Paul Stastny, Craig Smith and Justin Faulk … Team USA won seven games in the world championship, matching the U.S. record held by the 1939 national team … The U.S. has medaled in every major international hockey tournament to date in 2013, including the IIHF World Junior Championship (gold), IIHF Women’s World Championship (gold), IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship (silver), IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship (silver) and IPC Sled Hockey World Championship (silver) … Paul Stastny served as captain of Team USA, while Matt Carle and Nate Thompson were alternate captains … Joe Sacco was the head coach of the 2013 U.S. National Men’s Team. Tim Army, Danton Cole and Phil Housley served as assistant coaches … The 2013 U.S. Men’s National Team is under the direction of the U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group, led by Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. Members include NHL general managers Stan Bowman (Chicago), Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia), Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles),David Poile (Nashville), Ray Shero (Pittsburgh) and Dale Tallon (Florida) and NHL scouts Brian Burke(Anaheim) and Don Waddell (Pittsburgh) … USA Hockey’s international council, chaired by Tony Rossi, vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams.
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