Bellows' shootout winner lifts USA over Canada in snowy outdoor game
With a world junior-record crowd of 44,592 on hand in Orchard Park, N.Y., Team USA edged Team Canada by a score of 4-3 in the tournament's first-ever outdoor game thanks to Kieffer Bellows' shootout winner.
The last time hockey was played at New Era Field, it ended in a shootout. The last time Canada and USA squared off at the world juniors, it also ended in a shootout. Predictably, a matchup between Canada and USA at New Era Field also needed a shootout to decide things.
The snow piled down as the game went on at New Era Field - home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills - making simple skills such as stickhandling and passing increasingly difficult. It didn't seem to matter for Bellows though, who also scored his team's first goal of the game.
Sabres' first-round pick Casey Mittelstadt didn't seem to mind the conditions either, as he picked up three assists in the contest.
Special teams were the difference in the first period. Avalanche fourth overall pick Cale Makar notched a power-play tally for Canada less than five minutes into the game following a high-sticking penalty to USA's Dylan Samberg.
Later in the first, Canada once again struck with the man advantage, this time coming off the stick of captain Dillon Dube following Mikey Anderson's holding the stick penalty.
Canada itself took three minor penalties in the period, but escaped unscathed.
Canada's penalty trouble finally caught up to them, however, as Bellows got the Americans on the board with a 5-on-3 goal late in the second.
It didn't take long for the Canadians to respond, though, as Boris Katchouk tipped home Jake Bean's point shot.
In a game between two fierce rivals, there was no shortage of post-whistle scrums. The physicality of the game escalated after Canada's Maxime Comtois leveled American defenseman Ryan Lindgren from behind early in the third period, causing a kerfuffle. This may have been the turning point.
Special teams continued to be an ongoing factor, as Scott Perunovich capitalized on Comtois' penalty, scoring off a sweet give-and-go with Mittelstadt.
Shortly thereafter, Brady Tkachuk notched the equalizing goal to make it 3-3. It wasn't the first time a guy named Brady propelled a comeback at New Era Field.
The U.S. outshot Canada 35-22.
In the shootout, the Americans scored on their first two attempts, while Canada was blanked on all four of their attempts by Dallas Stars prospect Jake Oettinger.
Canada will play Denmark on Saturday, while the United States will battle Finland on Sunday.