LILLEHAMMER, Norway — Tyler Weiss (Raleigh, N.C.) and Jake Wise (North Andover, Mass.) each scored, but the U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team was unable to hold off Canada as it fell, 4-2, here today at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
“It was obviously a tough loss, but I thought our team played extremely hard,” said Scott Paluch, head coach of the U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. “It was a really good hockey game between two good teams.”
Canada gained an early lead when Allan McShane scored 2:45 into the game, but Weiss took advantage of a U.S. power play and knotted the game 1-1 about six minutes later. Jacob Semik (Canton, Mich.) was credited with the assist.
Wise found the back of the net with :24 remaining in the opening period to give the U.S. a 2-1 advantage.
A pair of markers by Canada at 6:52 and 11:42 of the second stanza found the U.S. trailing 3-2 heading into the final period.
The Canadians had power play time at the end the second period and beginning of the third, but the Team USA penalty kill was successful to keep the game within a one-goal reach.
Canada’s Luke Burzan converted at 8:09 of the third period to extend the Canadian lead. The U.S. pulled goaltender Todd Scott (Albertville, Minn.), who finished with 16 saves, in the final minutes of the game for an extra skater, but it was not enough to close the two-goal gap. Despite outshooting Canada, 18-9, over the last two periods, the U.S. fell 4-2.
Team USA is 2-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) and will finish play in the preliminary round against Russia at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (Feb. 18).
Notes: The U.S. outshot Canada, 23-20. Team USA was 1-for-4 on the powerplay and a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. For complete game statistics, click here … The U.S. is now 2-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) … Games at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics Games consist of three, 15-minute periods … The U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team is competing against Canada, Finland, Norway and Russia … For more information on the U.S. Youth Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, including a complete schedule and roster, click here … Follow all U.S. Games during the Winter Youth Olympic Games via Twitter by following @USAHockey and @USAHockeyScores, and join the conversation using #Lillehammer2016 … In the first-ever Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012, the U.S. Youth Olympics Men’s Ice Hockey Team finished fourth … Created by the International Olympic Committee, the Youth Olympic games bring youth athletes from around the world together through sports and the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship.
