Russia takes away USA medal hopes

Mathematically — at least for the moment– their may be some kind of hope, but a 5-2 loss to the Russians likely spelled the end of medal hopes for the USA U-18 Select team at the annual Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup tournament early on Aug. 12.

For the second day in a row, the Americans played the opening game of the day and also for the second day in a row, the team found itself on the wrong side of the score.

After dropping its opener, 5-1 to Finland, the second loss all but doomed the Red-White and Blue to an early trip home, officially depending on a game later in the day between Slovakia and Finland.

In the opener, the Americans never recovered from a rough first period that saw them fall behind 4-0. Against Russia, the Americans came out of the opening period even at 1-1, but the Russians scored three times in just under three minutes –twice in the final minute of the second frame and another early in the third to put a stanglehold on the Americans.

Defenseman Samuel Rossini from Inver Grove Heights, MN helped give the Americans a glimmer of hope just seconds after the fourth Russian goal as his pass in front went off a skate and straight to the stick of forward Kailer Yamamoto alone on the right side. His one-timer past the Russian goaltender had Team USA back within a pair with still a little more than 17 minutes to play. Rossini is a ’98 who will play for Waterloo in the USHL this season, then make the jump to NCAA Division 1 hockey at Minnesota next season.

Russia drove the final nail home though a little more than five minutes later with some great puck movement resulting in its fourth powerplay goal of the contest.

The USA also countered quickly on its first goal as another Minnesota native, Casey Mittelstadt from Eden Prairie jammed a loose puck through the pads of the Russian goaltender following a bad angle backhand by defenseman Andrew Peeke. The goal came with just 14 seconds remaining in the opening period and just over three minutes after Russia opened the scoring nine seconds into a first period powerplay chance. Mitelstadt plans to return to Eden Prairie High School this fall for his junior year and he has already commited to attend the University of Minnesota in the fall of 2017.

The Russians outshot the Americans 39-22 and another Eden-Prairie native, Dayton Rasmussen went the distance between the pipes for the Americans. Rasmussen is a ’98 who will backstop Waterloo in the USHL next season and the high school sophomore has already committed to University of Denver for the 2018-19 season.