AUGSBURG, Germany – The U.S. Men’s National Select Team dropped a 5-2 decision to Russia in the second of three games for both teams here at Curt Frenzel Stadium tonight in the 2017 Deutschland Cup.
The four-team round-robin tournament features host Germany, along with the U.S., Slovakia and Russia.
“I liked how we played overall,” said Tony Granato, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Select Team and also the head coach of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. “We certainly had our chances, and in the end, they capitalized on their power plays and that was really the difference in the game.”
Team USA used an 11-3 shots-on-goal advantage to build a 2-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes. Just :50 into the game Mark Arcobello (Milford, Conn.) tucked one home at the side of the goal on the power play after Chad Kolarik (Abington, Pa.) poked the puck to him from between the circles. Ryan Gunderson’s (Bensalem, Pa.) shot from the left point started the play. The U.S. had a five-minute power play just more than three minutes into the game after Evgeny Ketov was called for boarding Brian O’Neill (Yardley, Pa.) and disqualified from the game. The U.S., however, didn’t score. Kolarik added to the U.S. lead when he found the back of the net from between the circles to finish a two-on-one from the blueline in at 12:28. Arcobello and Ryan Stoa (Bloomington, Minn.) were credited with assists on the play.
Russia scored three power play goals in a 3:43 span in the back half of the second period to take a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes. Albert Yarullin put the first home with a five-on-three power play marker at 13:51, followed by power play tallies from Mikhail Naumenkov at 15:16 and Maxim Karpov at 17:34. Both teams had 13 shots on goal, with Robbie Earl (Chicago, Ill.) providing one of Team USA’s best chances from between the circles just more than five minutes into the period.
Tom Gilbert (Bloomington, Minn.) had a solid chance to tie the game from the side of the right circle 3:40 into the third period, but was stopped by Alexander Yeryomenko. And with just more than 3:00 left in regulation, Garrett Roe made a nifty move around defenders at the center blueline to break in alone, but Yeryomenko was up to the test. The Russians got an insurance goal with 2:31 left and then scored into an empty net with :12 left to account for the 5-2 final.
Brandon Maxwell made 21 stops in the U.S. net, while Yeryomenko finished with 30 saves.
Team USA finishes play in the Deutschland Cup tomorrow (Nov. 12) at 4:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m. ET) against host Germany. The game will be streamed live here.
NOTES: Mark Arcobello, who registered a goal and an assist, was named Team USA’s Player of the Game … The U.S. held Russia without a shot on goal for the first 9:42 of the game … The U.S. outshot Russia, 32-25 … Russia was 3-3 on the power play while the U.S. was 1-5 … The U.S. is playing in the Deutschland Cup for the 10th time, including previous appearances in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015 … Brian Gionta (Rochester, N.Y.) is the captain of Team USA. The U.S. is using different alternate captains in each game. Mark Stuart (Rochester, Minn.) and Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) served as alternate captains for tonight’s contest … The 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team coaching staff is guiding the U.S. in the Deutschland Cup, led by head coach Tony Granato. Assistant coaches are Chris Chelios, Scott Young, Keith Allain and Ron Rolston … Jim Johannson, assistant executive director for hockey operations of USA Hockey, is the general manager of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and serving in the same capacity for the 2017 U.S. Men’s National Select Team here in Germany … The Deutschland Cup is part of the player evaluation process in helping select the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
