USA finishes 7th at WJC with 2-1 win over Switzerland

Despite a 1-3 record during the Group Stage earlier in this year's World Junior Hockey Championships, the Americans were able to finish the Relegation Round with a perfect 3-0 with a 2-1 win over Switzerland to finish 7th in this year's tournament and look to improve when the WJC heads to Ufa, Russia next season. 2013 will be the 1st time the WJC Tournament will be in Russia since 2001 when the Tournament was in Moscow.

Among the team leaders for the USA during this tournament was a bit inflated due to the big numbers put up against Denmark on opening night & against Latvia during the Relegation Round yesterday afternoon. Campbell finishes the Tournament with a 2.62 GAA & a .906 SV% as well. For Team Scoring Leaders for the United States, the goal scoring was lead by Minnesota Wild Prospect & Current Boston University Forward Charlie Coyle with 4 goals, while Austin Watson was the overall scoring leader with 9 points in the 6 games (3G 6A).

While other notables included a bit of a disappointing tournament by Emerson Etem with 4 assists with no goals and a -1 Plus/Minus Rating.

The team will return to their clubs and are expected to play their 1st game back either late this weekend or early next week as the usual custom of most teams allowing their returning players having a game or two off to rest from the tournament run.

As for other games yesterday, Latvia survived relegation with a 2-1 win over Denmark thanks to some great performances to Nikita Jevpalovs, Kriss Lipsbergs & Zemgus Girgensons who is being looked at as a possible top 10 overall pick for June's Draft this summer.

Also the Czechs used a strong 1st period against arch rival Slovakia to win 5-2 and finish in 5th Place in what was one of the better tournament showings in a long time.  Don't be surprised to see Czech Goalie Petr Mrazek to be named the Tournament's Best Goalie, and possibly the Player of the Tournament for the way that he was able to stonewall their opponent's, including getting 50+ saves in a 5-2 upset over the United States back on December 30.

The Medal Round will have Russia VS. Sweden for the Gold Medal, while Canada VS. Finland for the Bronze Medal. For the Canadians, this is the 1st time since 2001 that they will not be playing for the Gold Medal, while the Finns are coming off a heart breaking loss where they were up 2-0 against Sweden going into the 3rd period, only to lose in a shutout.

Switzerland 1  USA 2  (1-2, 0-0, 0-0)

Switzerland VS. USA Game Photos

Team USA 2012 WJC Tournament Stats

Jack Campbell Comments

Josh Archibald Comments

Jason Zucker Comments

Sven Beartschi Comments

Latvia sends Denmark Down

Czechs use strong 1st Period to beat Arch Rival Slovakia

Bronze Medal Preview: CAN VS. FIN

Gold Medal Preview: SWE VS. RUS

IIHF Press Release from Lucas Askroyd

From Calgary, Alberta: In the last game of the 2012 Relegation Round, the United States Edged Switzerland 2-1. The U.S. Finished 7th, while the Swiss will settle for 8th.

It is the worst finish for the underachieving Americans in the World Juniors since 1999, when they finished 8th. That was also the only other time they played in the Relegation Round. The U.S. Came in 7th in 1977, 1980 & 1990.

The Swiss also took a step backwards after coming fourth in 2010 and fifth in 2011. They were relegated in 2008 after a ninth place finish finish in the Czech Republic.

The teams exchanged goals rapidly in the 1st period. Austin Czarnik got the Americans on the board unassisted at 11:28, but just over three minutes later, Switzerland made it 1-1 with Gaetan Haas third goal of this tournament. Kevin Gravel promptly restored the U.S. Lead at 16:15.

And then the goalies ensured they would be no more scoring, even though the Americans peppered the Swiss Cage.

With less then 6 minutes to go in the 2nd, Swiss Net minder Tim Wolf lunged cross-crease to make a great Save on U.S. forward Brandon Saad and keep his team close.

Eight minutes into the third period, American Goalie Jack Campbell likewise stood his ground when Lino Martschini skated into the slot and let a zinger go from the hash marks.

The Swiss got a final chance at the equalizer when Bill Arnold was sent off for hooking with 26 seconds left. But even with Wolf pulled for the extra attacker, they was nothing doing.

The Americans out shot Switzerland 42-22 for the game.

Prior to the game, both teams had already secured their spots in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia.

USA Destories Latvia in the WJC Relegation Round

Wanting to show that it wasn't happy competing in this year's Relegation Round at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships, Team USA showed no mercy against Latvia in their 1st of 2 Relegation Round Games with a 12-2 win over Latvia this afternoon at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta. With this win, it secures the Americans Place at next year's World Junior Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia.

They will finish up this year's WJC Tournament tomorrow at at 4:00 PM against Switzerland who thinks their victory against Denmark yesterday, they will be battling for pride and for 7th Place as the winner of the Relegation Round. However for Latvia & Denmark, it's a battle for survival as they will play at at 12:00 PM Tomorrow.

The winner will earn the final spot for next year's WJC Tournament, while the loser will finish in last place and will be relegated down to the WJC Division 1 Tournament with the likes of Norway, Austria & Slovenia next season in a location that is TBD.

As for tonight's Semifinals, 1st up is Sweden VS. Finland at 4:00 PM where Sweden ended up winning Group A with a 2-2-0-0 record with OT Wins over Sweden (4-3) & Switzerland (4-3), while also getting regulation wins over a plucky Latvia Team (9-4) and crushed Slovakia (9-1) with a 5 goal outburst in the 3rd period.

While Finland finished 2nd in Group B coming out to a bad start with an 8-1 loss to Canada in the Tournament's Opening Game. The Finns have comeback impressively with wins over the USA (4-1), Denmark (10-1) & the Czech Republic (4-0). Then in yesterday's Quarterfinal Game against Slovakia, it was the Finns winning a scoring fest with a 4 goal outburst in the 2nd period to win 8-5 over Slovakia.

The other Semifinal Game will come down to one of the world's oldest rivalries as Canada VS. Russia will duke it out in a rematch of last year's Championship Game where Russia pulled off an unlikely comeback from 3-0 down in the 3rd period to win 5-3 in last year's Gold Medal Game to win the WJC for the 1st time since 2003.

Canada had a perfect Group Stage with wins over the USA (3-2), Finland (8-3), Czech Republic (5-0) & Denmark (10-2) as they look to win the Nations first Gold Medal since 2009 when Canada won in Ottawa, Ontario.

Finally for Russia, a strong 3-0-1-0 record with an impressive +18 GD and a with one of the better Defense's in a very long time. It was wins over Switzerland (3-0), Latvia (14-0) & Slovakia (3-1). So far this year, their only loss came in their Group Stage Finale against Sweden 4-3 in OT. Then in yesterday's Quarterfinal, it was a tough battle against a Czech Republic team with arguably this year's best goalie Peter Marek who made 50+ saves in a 2-1 OT Loss against the Czech Republic.

The Russians are looking to win back-to-back Gold Medals since 2002 & 2003 as well. Also with the WJC Tournament in Ufa, Russia next season, back-to-back Gold Medals would really spark the Russian Fans to really support the Russian National Team next season.

So far this year, the Russians went 3-0-0-1 in the Group Stage with

USA 12  Latvia 2  (4-0, 7-1, 1-1)

Press Release by Andrew Podnieks of the IIHF Website

USA VS. Latvia Game Photos

From Calgary, Alberta: Austin Watson scored three goals in the first period and seven points in total to lead the United States to an easy but crucial 12-2 win over Latvia. The win ensures the U.S. will not be relegated to Division 1 for 2013 and will be in Ufa, Russia next Christmas.

Latvia's loss places a huge importance on tomorrow's game with Denmark. The winner joins the U.S. in Ufa with the rest of the Top Division Teams while the loser gets relegated.

"The biggest thing we wanted to prove is that we believe we shouldn't be in the Relegation Round," Watson said. "We wanted to come out and have a strong game. We showed that were capable of playing with the guys in the Medal Round. It was about playing for country, playing for the crest on our jersey, not worrying about what happened in the past. Just worrying about the present and the moment we're in."

The Americans finish their tournament with a game against Switzerland for 1st Place in the Relegation Round standings at stake.

"We're not where we want to be tonight, but we need to keep our heads up," added Nick Bjugstad. "We've had a rough outing, but we're playing for the sweater and it was great to have a good performance (Against Latvia). It was kind of good to show up this game from an offensive standpoint."

In addition to Watson's seven points, Nick Bjugstad had 3 goals and 5 points and Brandon Saad added four assists. The Americans doubled their opponents in SOG, 58-29.

Watson's three goals in the first were all set up by different teammates. On the opening tally, at 5:40, he redirected a Jared Tinordi point shot. On the 2nd, it was a nice fed from Jon Merrill to the side, and on the third it was Kyle Rau who found Watson in the slot.

Latvian starting goalie Kristers Gudlevskis was replaced early in the 2nd period after the fifth American Goal, but his replacement, Rihards Cimermanis fared worse, allowing six more goals in 19:04 of the 2nd. As a result Gudlevskis was back in for the 3rd period, allowing just one goal.

The first Latvian Goal came at 2:03 of the 2nd period on a shot by Zemgus Girgensons that beat Jack Campbell under the blocking arm. Their 2nd, near the end of the game, came when Teodors Blugers passed the puck in front of the U.S. Net only to have U.S. Defensemen Austin Czarnik redirect it passed his own goalie.

The huge win allowed the Americans to pad their stats, as it were. After scoring only five goals in their last three games, they piled on the goals even without even trying to hard, they were sent to the Relegation Round was an unlikely scenario, but the team bit the bullet and took it to the Latvians.

"We still have to beat Denmark, no matter what," Bulgers said. That's the big game, we need to refocus. We definitely need to play better on defense, man-to-man coverage, getting back. We had to many guys caught up in the rush and gave up too many odd-man rushes.