AUGSBURG, Germany – Chad Billins (Port Huron, Mich.) scored 2:36 into overtime to complete a three-goal, third-period comeback as the U.S. Men’s Select Team downed Switzerland, 5-4, in overtime here today at the Deutschland Cup.
Team USA is now 2-0 in the tournament, and with a victory tomorrow (Nov. 8) in its final game against host Germany, can claim the 2015 Deutschland Cup title. Opening faceoff is set for 10:45 a.m. ET.
“The guys never quit,” said Mark Osiecki, head coach of the U.S. Men’s Select Team. “There’s not too many times a team is able to overcome a three-goal deficit in the third period, but this team did that and I couldn’t be more proud of the effort.”
After a scoreless opening period, Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) staked the U.S. to a 1-0 lead 4:50 into the second period with an unassisted shorthanded goal. Switzerland, however, responded less than a minute later with a power-play marker to even the score and then scored twice in a 1:11 span in the second half of the stanza, including once with a two-man advantage, to take a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes.
Switzerland’s Gregory Hofmann converted on a penalty shot 2:13 into the third period to increase the lead to 4-1, but Brian Connelly (Bloomington, Minn.) responded for the U.S. less than two minutes later to cut the U.S. deficit to 4-2.
With less than eight minutes to play, Ben Hanowski (Little Falls, Minn.) and Casey Wellman (Brentwood, Calif.) found the back of the net :27 apart to knot the score at 4-4. The U.S., which outshot the Swiss 19-9 in the final frame, had a power play in the final five minutes, but couldn’t convert and the game went to overtime.
That set the stage for Billins, who netted the game-winning goal 2:56 into the overtime period, with assists from Tim Stapleton (La Grange, Ill.) and Ryan Stoa (Bloomington, Minn.).
Ryan Zapolski (Erie, Pa.) earned the victory in goal for the U.S. with 31 saves.
Notes: The U.S. outshot Switzerland, 46-35 … A total of 12 different players contributed points for Team USA … The U.S. went 0-for-4 on the power play, while Switzerland was 2-for-7 … Click here for complete game statistics … The 2015 Deutschland Cup includes the U.S., Slovakia, Switzerland and host Germany … For more information on the U.S. Men’s Select Team click here.
