AUGSBURG, Germany – The U.S. Men’s Select Team put 35 shots on goal and scored twice on the power play, but was unable to overcome an early lead by Germany and fell, 5-2, here today in the final matchup of the 2015 Deutschland Cup.
Team USA finishes the tournament in second place with a 1-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.
Germany jumped out to a quick lead with a pair of power-play goals early in the opening period. Another tally at 13:57 put the U.S. down 3-0 heading into the first intermission.
Tim Stapleton (La Grange, Ill.) cut Germany’s lead to 3-1 with a power-play marker from Chad Billins (Port Huron, Mich.) 2:08 into the second period. Germany, however, responded less than two minutes later with a goal from David Wolf.
Ryan Stoa (Bloomington, Minn.) brought the U.S. back within two when he converted during a U.S. power play at 8:32. Casey Wellman (Brentwood, Calif.) and Billins were credited with the assists.
With five minutes remaining in the final stanza, the U.S. pulled goaltender Ryan Zapolski (Erie, Pa.) for an extra skater but Team USA was unable to convert and Germany scored an empty-netter to account for the 5-2 final.
Cal Heeter (St. Louis, Mo.) stopped 10 of 13 shots in the first 13:57 of the game before Zapolski took the net. Zapolski finished with 20 saves on 21 shots.
Notes: The U.S. and Germany each had 35 shots on goal … The U.S. went 2-for-6 on the power play, while Germany was 2-for-4 … Click here for complete game statistics … Billins led all U.S. skaters in tournament scoring with three points (1-2) … The 2015 Deutschland Cup includes the U.S., Slovakia, Switzerland and host Germany ..
