Swiss goalkeeper Kevin Pasche makes a save against Team USA's Brett Berard.
photo: Chris Tanouye / HHOF-IIHF Images
Team USA scored five times in the second period and skated away to a 7-1 win over Switzerland in Group B action tonight at Rogers Place. The win improves the Americans’ record to 2-0 while the Swiss fall to 0-2.
Six different players scored for the Americans and five of the seven goals were produced by the first line including two from Carter Mazur, who also had an assist. Thomas Bordeleau had a goal and two assists, and defender Luke Hughes, who logged a team high 21:18 of ice time, added three helpers.
"Obviously, we had a slow start with a few things to work on coming out of the first, and I think we fixed those things," offered American forward Landon Slaggert. "Got some more pucks on the net. It's awesome when everyone's producing and everyone's contributing. That's what makes a team. So it's exciting to see that, and hopefully we can keep it going. We didn't have enough shots in the first, and we needed to get bodies in front, take away [the goalie's] eyes. We did that in the second period, which led us to some success."
"It was a good start," said Joel Henry, the lone scorer for Switzerland. "We scored a goal about 10 minutes into the second period, but I think we couldn't take advantage of this moment and we got scored on three or four times in the last 10 minutes of the second period. And I think that was the key for the win for the USA."
Six different players scored for the Americans and five of the seven goals were produced by the first line including two from Carter Mazur, who also had an assist. Thomas Bordeleau had a goal and two assists, and defender Luke Hughes, who logged a team high 21:18 of ice time, added three helpers.
"Obviously, we had a slow start with a few things to work on coming out of the first, and I think we fixed those things," offered American forward Landon Slaggert. "Got some more pucks on the net. It's awesome when everyone's producing and everyone's contributing. That's what makes a team. So it's exciting to see that, and hopefully we can keep it going. We didn't have enough shots in the first, and we needed to get bodies in front, take away [the goalie's] eyes. We did that in the second period, which led us to some success."
"It was a good start," said Joel Henry, the lone scorer for Switzerland. "We scored a goal about 10 minutes into the second period, but I think we couldn't take advantage of this moment and we got scored on three or four times in the last 10 minutes of the second period. And I think that was the key for the win for the USA."
Switzerland vs United States - 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship
SUI vs. USA
Coming into the game the Swiss had managed but two ties in 23 games in U20 history and were outscored by a whopping 131-45 margin. The most recent of those ties was in 2005, so the odds were against the Swiss from the get-go.
"I think just sticking to our game plan and getting pucks deep and getting shots through kind of broke them down in the second period," said defender Luke Hughes. "A lot of our offense came from that."
And yet, the Swiss came out and skated stride for stride with the Americans in the opening period. Indeed, they held a slight advantage in shots until late in the period but more U.S. shots were dangerous. They were stopped by some fine play form Swiss goalie Kevin Pasche, and a lack of finish around the net. Pasche played at the 2021 U18s and also in one game last Christmas at the U20, but this was his first game here now in Edmonton. He also sports a helmet with an inspirational mantra on the back that reads: “Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.”
The Swiss had the first power play of the period, but it was the Americans that had the best opportunity, created by a burst of speed through centre by Red Savage. He flew in on goal, only to shoot high over the net.
The Americans came out flying to start the second and created two early power plays, scoring on the second. Carter Mazur made a great back pass to the side of the Swiss goal, finding Mackie Samoskevich open in front for the easy goal at 5:54. Two-and-a-half minutes later, though, the Swiss tied the game thanks to a great individual effort by Joel Henry. He claimed a loose puck in centre ice and charged in on goal, avoiding two Americans chasing him down, and made a nice deke, sliding the puck between Kaidan Mbereko’s pads.
"I saw the puck in the neutral zone," Henry explained. "It was free. I had some speed there and I could drive to the middle. It had to be quick. So I went five-hole."
That was as close as the Swiss ever got. Brock Faber wired a high shot over the shoulder of Pasche at 11:29 to make it 2-1. Landon Slaggert then made a great cross-ice pass to Mazur, who blasted a one-timer to the back side of Pasche at 13:22 to double the lead, and then they got two more thanks to beautiful tips in front.
Wyatt Kaiser’s quick wrist shot from the point was deftly redirected by Slaggert at 17:16, and then with only 36.3 seconds remaining Matt Coronato similarly tipped a Luke Hughes point shot into the Swiss cage, making it 5-1.
Swiss coach Marco Bayer pulled Pasche to start the third and gave Noah Patenaude some playing time. Patenaude's only other U20 experience came on 29 December 2020, when he played the full 60 in a 10-0 loss to Canada.
Early on, though, the Swiss took a penalty and Patenaude found himself waving at a blistering one-timer from Thomas Bordeleau that dented the twine at 1:57. Riley Duran added to the tally with a high wrist shot from close range at 15:23.
"I think just sticking to our game plan and getting pucks deep and getting shots through kind of broke them down in the second period," said defender Luke Hughes. "A lot of our offense came from that."
And yet, the Swiss came out and skated stride for stride with the Americans in the opening period. Indeed, they held a slight advantage in shots until late in the period but more U.S. shots were dangerous. They were stopped by some fine play form Swiss goalie Kevin Pasche, and a lack of finish around the net. Pasche played at the 2021 U18s and also in one game last Christmas at the U20, but this was his first game here now in Edmonton. He also sports a helmet with an inspirational mantra on the back that reads: “Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.”
The Swiss had the first power play of the period, but it was the Americans that had the best opportunity, created by a burst of speed through centre by Red Savage. He flew in on goal, only to shoot high over the net.
The Americans came out flying to start the second and created two early power plays, scoring on the second. Carter Mazur made a great back pass to the side of the Swiss goal, finding Mackie Samoskevich open in front for the easy goal at 5:54. Two-and-a-half minutes later, though, the Swiss tied the game thanks to a great individual effort by Joel Henry. He claimed a loose puck in centre ice and charged in on goal, avoiding two Americans chasing him down, and made a nice deke, sliding the puck between Kaidan Mbereko’s pads.
"I saw the puck in the neutral zone," Henry explained. "It was free. I had some speed there and I could drive to the middle. It had to be quick. So I went five-hole."
That was as close as the Swiss ever got. Brock Faber wired a high shot over the shoulder of Pasche at 11:29 to make it 2-1. Landon Slaggert then made a great cross-ice pass to Mazur, who blasted a one-timer to the back side of Pasche at 13:22 to double the lead, and then they got two more thanks to beautiful tips in front.
Wyatt Kaiser’s quick wrist shot from the point was deftly redirected by Slaggert at 17:16, and then with only 36.3 seconds remaining Matt Coronato similarly tipped a Luke Hughes point shot into the Swiss cage, making it 5-1.
Swiss coach Marco Bayer pulled Pasche to start the third and gave Noah Patenaude some playing time. Patenaude's only other U20 experience came on 29 December 2020, when he played the full 60 in a 10-0 loss to Canada.
Early on, though, the Swiss took a penalty and Patenaude found himself waving at a blistering one-timer from Thomas Bordeleau that dented the twine at 1:57. Riley Duran added to the tally with a high wrist shot from close range at 15:23.
Switzerland vs United States - 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship
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