World Junior Summer Showcase: Fowler Shines For USA Blue, Nazar Scores Four For USA White
Team USA swept both games over Finland and Sweden on Monday
Plymouth, Mich. - Team USA completed a two-game sweep over Finland and Sweden in Monday’s World Junior Summer Showcase action.
Team USA Blue 4, Finland 1
Team USA Blue dominated from start to finish, outshooting Finland 24-18 behind goals from four different skaters.
Defenseman Paul Fischer (STL) opened the scoring less than seven minutes into the first period, firing a rocket from the high slot through traffic and finding the back of the Finland net. Oliver Moore (CHI) did the heavy lifting on the play, forcing a turnover below the left circle and maintaining possession.
Just over one minute later, Team USA doubled up their lead after Gavin Brindley (CBJ) finished in front off great feeds from Will Smith and Gabe Perreault below the net.
The Americans took a 10-8 shots-on-goal advantage and a 2-0 lead into the locker room after 20 minutes.
Less than eight minutes into the second period, Perreault made it a three-goal lead for Team USA on the power play. Smith started the play with a zone entry and maintained possession of a bouncing puck before skirting it over to Perreault, who lasered a rocket from the left circle and in.
Finland ended USA netminder Jacob Fowler’s shutout bid less than a minute after Perreault’s goal. Lenni Hämeenaho (NJD) started the play with an excellent backcheck at the USA blueline, knifed through traffic, and finished with the backhand to beat Fowler.
With 4:27 left in the frame, Danny Nelson (NYI) made it a three-goal lead for good, cleaning up a loose puck in front of the Finland net after James Hagens led the offensive rush through the neutral zone.
The third period was relatively quiet as USA outshot Finland 7-3. Fowler stopped 17-of-18 shots on goal and played the full 60 minutes for Team USA.
Team USA White 10, Sweden 1
Team USA outshot Sweden 36-23 and scored eight goals over the final two periods to skate past Sweden on Monday.
Ryan Leonard (WSH) opened the scoring at the 11:38 mark of the first period, finishing on Rutger McGroarty’s (WPG) centering feed just beyond an outstretched Sweden player.
With under two minutes left in the opening frame, Lane Hutson led the breakout into the neutral zone and found an open William Whitelaw (CBJ) along the right side. The Blue Jackets’ 2023 third-rounder took the puck to the net himself and beat Swedish netminder Kevin Reidler.
The US continued their dominance in the second period, outshooting Sweden 24-14 after 40 minutes and finding the back of the net four more times, including two from Frank Nazar III (CHI).
Eric Pohlkamp (SJS) scored his first of the showcase less than five minutes into the second period, sending a one-timer above the right circle into the net.
Nazar scored his first at the 12:22 mark of the frame, re-directing Isaac Howard’s (TBL) centering feed from along the left side and in. The two connected on Nazar’s second goal as well.
Lane Hutson (MTL) had perhaps the goal of the day with 6:18 left in the middle period, skating the puck along the left side and below the net. From there, the Boston University defenseman displayed some terrific stickhandling down low before finding a seam to skate the puck in front of the net and scoring.
Anton Johansson (DET) scored in consecutive games, ending the shutout bid for Trey Augustine, but Team USA took a comfortable 6-1 lead into the locker room after 40 minutes.
Cutter Gauthier (PHI) and Nazar each scored two goals in the third period.
The latter’s final goal of the contest came on a partial breakaway, and the Blackhawks’ 2023 first-round pick showed some quick hands and a smooth backhand finish. The tally marked USA’s 10th goal of the game, and netminder Hampton Slukynsky (LAK) recorded an assist on the play.
With both Team Blue and Team White earning lopsided wins on Monday, Wednesday’s matchup between the two should be entertaining, to say the least.
(All videos courtesy of USAHockeyTV)