Denmark 3 Belarus 2 (SO)
It was another thriller of a relegation game on Thursday afternoon in Buffalo. The Danes, behind an invigorated Portland Winterhawks winger Joachim Blichfeld, took a 2-0, first period lead. Blichfeld assisted on both Dane goals and that gave him four points in his last four periods of hockey at the tournament.
Then came a hard check from Belorussian Dmitri Deryabin and drove Blichfeld’s head into the boards. Blichfeld was stretchered off the ice, but did give the crowd a thumbs-up on his way off. It is unknown what effect this will have on Blichfeld’s WHL season. Blichfeld had six points in six games and was a plus-two with two shots in this game.
Gut-wrenching moment here at KeyBank Center as Denmark's Joachim Blichfeld gets hit from behind into boards and taken off on stretcher. Looked to give thumbs up on the way out. Tough to watch the hit. Hope the #SJSharks prospect gets better soon. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/irY3bbtaIx
— Aaron Cheris (@AaronHowie) January 4, 2018
Without their leading scorer, the Danes took some penalties and let Belarus back in. Belarus scored twice on the power play and forced overtime. After Calgary Hitmen defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko took a tripping penalty in the overtime session, the Danes had some chances, but could not capitalize. Yeryomenko assisted on the first goal for Belarus and finished the tourney with one goal and three assists for four points. He led both teams in ice time with 30:43 and had three shots.
With neither team finding the twine on overtime, a five-round shootout commenced. Prince George Cougars forward Vladislav Mikhalchuk put on a slick move to tie the shootout at two goals apiece, but after the Danes scored another, Victoria Royals forward Igor Martynov, beat the Danes goalie but lost the puck off his stick. The Danes then scored again to win the shootout and take the relegation playoff. Belarus will now be forced to play in the Division 1A World Junior Championship tournament next year, with Kazakhstan taking their place.
Mikhalchuk did not have any points in the tournament and ended a minus-five. He had two shots in 9:17 of this game. Martynov was a minus-seven at the WJCs and had two goals and an assist for three points. He had one shot in 15:03.
Sweden 4 USA 2
The USA’s quest for a second gold medal in-a-row ended Thursday evening. Sweden scored on a power play in the second period and added three goals over a span of 2:08 in the third, to go out to a 3-0 lead. Two of their three goals came short handed on the same USA power play.
Portland Winterhawks forward Kieffer Bellows gave the Americans some life with a third period goal, his seventh of the tournament so far. Brady Tkachuk added another, but despite having a late power play and an extra attacker out at the end, they could not get any closer.
.@NYIslanders 1st rounder Kieffer Bellows walks out front and goes upstairs for ??@usahockey??'s first goal of the game.
?#WorldJuniors ??#Isles pic.twitter.com/IyD0Y4KSll
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2018
Bellows had a team-high five shots and skated 20:18 of ice time.
With seconds left in the game, Spokane Chiefs forward Kailer Yamamoto sustained a hard slash to his knee and had to be helped off the ice. It is unknown how this will effect the rest of his WHL season in Spokane. Yamamoto had one assist and two shots in 20:11.
Kailer Yamamoto helped off the ice after being chopped in the back of the leg pic.twitter.com/O5xHqIRMfK
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) January 4, 2018
The USA will play the Czech Republic for the bronze medal Friday.
Team USA's "Top Three Players of the Tournament" were named as:
Adam Fox (@NHLFlames prospect with @HarvardMHockey)
Kieffer Bellows (@NYIslanders prospect with @pdxwinterhawks)
Casey Mittelstadt (@BuffaloSabres prospect with @GopherHockey) pic.twitter.com/lelNBVfz8X— NHL Daily 365 (@NHLDaily365) January 4, 2018
Canada 7 Czech Republic 2
The Czech Republic were big underdogs coming into their semi-final match up with Canada. You would not have been able to tell that through through the first 10 minutes of their game Thursday. Filip Zadina scored to give them a 1-0 lead they were controlling the run of play.
Then they took a couple penalties and Canada made them pay. First, Regina Pats center Sam Steel hammered home a power play goal off a feed from Brandon Wheat Kings d-man Kale Clague, then Drake Batherson netted another to give them a 2-1 lead after 20. Clague finished with on shot and was a plus-one in 23:49.
Sam Steel (@WHLPats) blasts it home. Tie game #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/9s68sCR3eu
— Shayne Pasquino (@shaynepasquino) January 5, 2018
Canada added another power play marker in the second and there was no looking back. Jake Bean got an assist on the play, his third point in the tournament. Bean had on shot in 13:30. Moose Jaw Warriors center Brett Howden set up another goal to make it 4-1 and then Kelowna Rockets center Dillon Dube and Steel got in on a Jordan Kyrou marker to make it 5-1.
Howen had one shot and was a plus-one in 12:38. while Steel had his two points, to go along with four shots in 15:26. Dube had his fourth point of the tourney along with five shots in 18:01.
It would make it’s way to 7-1 before Prince Albert defenseman Vojtech Budik set up a tally to make the game a more respectable 7-2, before finalizing. The assist was Budik’s fifth of the tourney. He had three shots in 16:17.
In the win, Swift Current Broncos forward Tyler Steenbergen was a minus-one in 6:32, while Rockets d-man Cal Foote skated 10:32.
Everett Silvertips goalie Carter Hart stopped 18 of 20 shots.
For the Czech Republic, who will now take on the USA for bronze Friday, Red Deer Rebels forward Kristian Reichel had 14:57 of ice time, Saskatoon blades d-man Libor Hajek skated a game-high 25:22, Kamloops Blazers blue liner Ondrej Vala was a minus-one in 16:30 and Spokane Chiefs d-man Filip Kral was a minus-one in 8:36.
Great win for Canada. @libas42 played another solid game for the Czechs and earn one of the players of the tourney for them. Well deserved and good luck and go win a bronze. @BladesHockey pic.twitter.com/JDezSUG9A6
— Mike Bryksa (@sawzee7) January 5, 2018