Heikki Ruohonen kicked off the scoring just over seven minutes into the game, redirecting a shot right in front of the U.S. goalie, Caleb Heil. His quick reflexes helped him find the net while blocking the goalie’s view.
Later in the first period, at 13:56, the U.S. equalized. Horcoff fought through some congestion in front of the net and slammed in a rebound from a shot by Osburn, making it 1-1.
In the second period, Plante put the U.S. ahead 5:41 in. He capitalized on a turnover, snapping off a wrist shot from the right circle and scoring to make it 2-1.
With only six seconds left in the game, Osburn secured the victory for the U.S. with a long shot into an empty net, finalizing the score at 3-1.
Heil made nine saves during his time on the ice, while Nick Kempf also had a solid performance with eight saves.
Looking ahead, the U.S. will face Germany on December 26 at the Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Fans can catch the opening game at 5 p.m. local time on NHL Network.
A noteworthy detail: the U.S. outshot Finland 25-18. However, neither team scored during power plays, with the U.S. going 0-4 and Finland 0-5.
In the world of junior hockey, this kind of performance can be a great foundation for upcoming challenges, especially as these young players gain experience on international stages.
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