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Team USA beats Russia to win 3rd straight at world championships

World Hockey tournament logoOSTRAVA, Czech Republic, May 4 — For the first time in 18 years, the U.S. men’s national ice hockey team is off to a 3-0 start at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) world championship tournament. The Americans received individual goals from Trevor Lewis, Torey Krug, Mark Arcobello and Brock Nelson to beat Russia, 4-2 in Group B preliminary round play Monday.

“The credit goes to our players,” American coach Todd Richards said. “They played a terrific game and I couldn’t be more proud of our effort. It was a well-deserved win. We’ll take tomorrow off and be back at it with practice on Wednesday before we play Belarus on Thursday.”

Avon forward Ben Smith, playing in his first international team with Team USA, played 7:39 in the game on 11 shifts, getting a shot on net in the first period. Smith, who plays with the San Jose Sharks, is one of three Connecticut players on Team USA. Arcobello (Arizona Coyotes) is from Milford and Nick Bonino (Vancouver Canucks) is from Farmington. 

Lewis (Los Angeles Kings) gave the Americans an early 1-0 lead just 6:22 into the game when he batted a rebound over Russian goaltender Sergei Bobrovski’s shoulder. After Jack Eichel (Boston University) cleanly won a draw in the offensive zone, Seth Jones (Nashville Predators) sent a shot through traffic that hit Bobrovski and bounced right to Lewis at the edge of the crease. Lewis fought through a Russian defender and knocked the loose puck into the top corner of the net.

Russia tied the game 3:40 into the second period but the Americans grabbed the lead back when Krug (Boston Bruins) scored.

Team USA when Arcobello scored with 11:52 gone in the third period for a 3-1 lead. Jimmy Vesey (Harvard) blocked a Russian attempt to move the puck up ice in the neutral zone, and Arcobello grabbed the loose puck, moved through the right circle and placed a wrist shot just inside the near post.

NOTES: The Americans get back on the ice Thursday at 10:15 a.m., EST when they face Belarus. The game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) and be available online via NBC Sports Live Extra. … Torey Krug (New York Islanders) was named the U.S. player of the game … Eichel, a freshman at Boston University this past winter, won 15 of 21 faceoffs in the game … Krug’s four shots on goal topped all players in the game … Team USA will have Tuesday completely off and return to practice on Wednesday before its game Thursday against Belarus … Team USA has held its first three opponents without a power-play goal, killing off all 11 man-advantage opportunities … The U.S. gained its first power-play goal of the world championship today with a 5-on-3 goal by Torey Krug in the second period. The U.S. is now 1-for-10 in man-advantage situations. … Upcoming games for the Americans are Thursday vs. Belarus; Friday, May 8 vs. Denmark (2:15 p.m., EST), Sunday, May 10 vs. Slovenia (10:15 a.m., EST) and Tuesday, May 12 vs. Slovakia (10:15 a.m., EST). Each game will be televised live on NBC Sports Network. … The Americans are playing in Group B and the top four teams in the eight-team division advance to the quarterfinals.

Since 2009, the Collinsville Press has been providing award-winning coverage of sports and news in the Farmington Valley and across Connecticut.

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