KUNGSBACKA, Sweden –
Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson scored the overtime winner as the United States defeated Canada 6-5 in a world junior hockey championship tune-up game Saturday.
Hutson skated up the ice during the 3-on-3 extra period and lost the puck to Canada forward Owen Beck before stealing it right back and scoring to ice the game at 3:21.
Ryan Leonard scored twice, while Quinn Finley, Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore also scored for the United States. Hutson had an assist to go with his game-winner and Isaac Howard pitched in with two helpers.
Macklin Celebrini and Owen Allard had a goal and an assist each for Canada. Conor Geekie, Matthew Savoie and Jordan Dumais also scored.
“Any time you play in a game like that against those guys, you’re going to get their best and we’re going to play our best,” Celebrini said in a release. “It was competitive. It got a little scrappy and it was fun to play in.”
Jacob Fowler stopped 14 of 16 shots and Trey Augustine turned away 24 of 27 in the American net. Mathis Rousseau made 12 saves on 15 shots and Samuel St-Hilaire stopped 10 of 13 for Canada.
Hutson helped start the scoring with a perfect pass up the middle of the ice to send Finley in on a breakaway, which he converted.
Canada then took a 2-1 lead with goals from Celebrini and Geekie before the U.S. scored three unanswered in the second period.
The Americans led 5-3 after 40 minutes.
Canada then scored twice in the first 7:10 of the third to eventually force overtime.
“It was an entertaining game and a good one for us to have before we start play in the tournament,” said U.S. head coach David Carle in a release. “We’ll use what we learned in the two exhibition games to continue to build, and look forward to our first game against Norway on Tuesday.”
Defending champion Canada opens the tournament Tuesday against Finland in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Defencemen Jorian Donovan and Ty Nelson have replaced fellow blueliners Tristan Luneau and Tanner Molendyk on the roster, Hockey Canada announced Saturday. Luneau and Molendyk will miss the tournament due to injury.
Celebrini, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in next summer’s NHL draft, avoided a suspension after hitting Switzerland forward Leo Braillard from behind in a 6-2 pre-tournament win Friday.
The 17-year-old received a game misconduct but the International Ice Hockey Federation ruled Saturday that there would be no further discipline.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2023
