Patrick Maroon (#19) celebrates with David Warsofsky (#55), Auston Matthews (#34) and Kyle Connor (#18) after scoring a first-period goal during preliminary-round action against Canada at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship on May 6, 2016 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The United States men’s ice hockey team fell to reigning world champion Canada 5-1 Friday afternoon as both teams opened group play at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The U.S., the reigning world bronze medalist at the 2015 worlds, drew first blood when Patrick Maroon cleaned up his own miss in front of the net for a power play goal 4:54 into the game. The advantage would not last long, as Taylor Hall slipped the puck under the pad of U.S. goalkeeper Keith Kinkaid 31 seconds later. Brendan Gallagher then found the net over Kinkaid’s shoulder to put the Canadians up 2-1 at 11:12, a margin that would stand through the first intermission.
Despite the Americans picking up their offensive pace in the second period, outshooting their foes 14-11, it was Canada that added to the lead when Matt Duchene went top shelf over Kinkaid’s blocker at 31:37, the only goal of the period. The Canadians stepped up the pressure on the American defense in the third, resulting in an opportunistic goal after Ryan O’Reilly stole the puck in the U.S. defensive end. He fed Boone Jenner, who squeezed a quick shot between Kinkaid and the left post at 45:54 for a 4-1 Canada lead. Brad Marchand added the finishing touch with a breakaway shorthanded goal at 51:16.
Canada outshot the United States 33-25, an advantage that it built in the first period with 16 attempts, twice that of the Americans.
Next up for the U.S. is Belarus Saturday at 4:15 p.m. St. Petersburg time, while Canada will face off against Hungary on Sunday.