BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – Michael Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.) scored with 4:42 remaining in the four-on-four 10 minute overtime session as the United States Under-18 Select Team overcame one-goal deficits on three different occasions to defeat Russia, 4-3, in the semifinals of the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
“We hung in there and found a way to win,” said Clark Donatelli (Providence, R.I.), head coach of the 2016 U.S. Under-18 Select Team. “We have a close-knit bunch of guys that really believe in each other. Things weren’t going well early but we stayed together and stuck to our game plan to get the victory.”
Team USA will face the Czech Republic in the championship game tomorrow (Aug. 13) at 11:00 a.m. ET in Breclav, Czech Republic.
After a scoreless first period, Russia took a 1-0 lead exactly one minute into the middle frame on a goal by Klim Kostin. Less than two minutes later, Mick Messner (Madison, Wis.) gathered the rebound from a shot by Pastujov and fired a shot past Russian goaltender Dimitri Rajko to even the score, 1-1. Alexander Liakov gave Russia a brief 2-1 advantage late in the period before Vanya Lodnia (Novi, Mich.) scored a power-play goal off of a slick feed from Ryan Poehling (Lakeville, Minn.) in the final minute of the period to tie the game, 2-2.
Mikhail Bicadze gave Russia its third one-goal advantage 1:47 into the third period, but the U.S. tied the game once again, this time with Sasha Chmelevski (Northville, Mich.) scoring a power-play marker that made it 3-3 with 8:30 to play.
In the overtime, Pastujov took advantage of a turnover in the Russian zone and fired the game-winner past Rajko for his third goal of the tournament.
Cayden Primeau (Voorhees, N.J.) made 29 stops and was named the U.S. Player of the Game.
NOTES: The U.S. has won the tournament once, that in 2003, and most recently made the title game in 2013… Team USA outshot Russia by a 37-32 count in the game … The U.S. competed Group A in the preliminary round along with the Czech Republic, Finland and Switzerland … For complete tournament coverage, including Team USA’s roster and statistics, click here … For full game statistics, click here … Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook using #HlinkaMemorial
