In a game that USA was heavily favored, England goalie Nick Rose had different ideas as he stood on his head to keep his team in range, but the firepower from USA was too much as USA (2-1) defeated England (0-2) 13-9.
USA opened up a 3-0 just ten minutes into the contest with goals from Casey Powell (2G/4A), Garrett Thul (3G/2A), and Joe Walters (2G/6A), but England battled back and took a brief 4-3 lead half way through the second quarter. They would build a two goal lead before Thul’s second goal with three seconds in the half would bring USA within one at 7-6.
When the teams came out for the third quarter, they picked up right were the first half ended. Thul completed his hat trick at the :32 mark as they would tie the game. USA would score twice more to take a 9-7 lead they would never again relinquish.
England’s goal at 5:50 of the third did not only bring them within one at 9-8, but it was their fourth shorthanded goal of the game. At one point I started to think, “Can USA decline the penalty?”, “Hurry and get a penalty to even it up”. But that would be the end of the shorties, as USA would go on a four goal run to put the game away. Jeff Ratcliffe’s goal with 1:53 left in the third would prove to be the game winner.
Jake Henhawk stopped 24 of 33 shots on goal, England fired 34 with only 1 landing off net. England net minder Nick Rose would stop 48 of 61 shots as USA would fire 79 shots, 18 landed off net.
On the face-offs, again it was dominated by USA as they would win 25 of 26, and they would pick up 94 ground balls to England’s 48.
With the win, USA clinched a spot in the quarter finals. They face a very high powered Canadian team tonight at 7:30. Canada (2-0) defeated Czech Republic (1-2) 19-2.
A win by USA over Canada would vault them into the semi-finals.
