United States defeats Germany 6-3 on Day 2 of World Juniors

Friday is the second day of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, which is being held in Ostrava and Trinec, Czech Republic.

Friday, Dec. 27

Schedule/Results

Slovakia 3, Kazakhstan 1
United States 6, Germany 3

Day 2 games

United States 6, Germany 3 --Shane Pinto (Ottawa Senators) had a goal and two assists, and Trevor Zegras (Anaheim Ducks) had four assists for the United States in a Group B game at Ostravar Arena in Ostrava.
Oliver Wahlstrom had a goal and an assist, and Jordan Harris (Montreal Canadiens), Zachary Jones (New York Rangers), Curtis Hall (Boston Bruins) and Bobby Brink (Philadelphia Flyers) scored for the United States. Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames) made 17 saves.
The United States was playing one day after a 6-4 loss to Canada. It was Germany's first game.
John-Jason Peterka, a B-rated prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft, scored two power-play goals for Germany. Dominik Bokk (Carolina Hurricanes) had a goal and two assists and Tobias Ancicka made 23 saves.
Bokk scored in transition to give Germany a 3-2 lead at 8:36 of the second period, but the United States scored the next four goals, starting with Pinto's second goal of the tournament. He got the rebound of a Zegras shot, moved the puck onto his forehand and scored in front at 14:16 of the second.
Hall put the United States ahead 4-3 after Zegras skated the puck behind the Germany net, spun and sent it back in front to Hall, who scored from in front.

Brink scored a power-play goal to make it 5-3 at 7:18 of the third, and Wahlstrom made it 6-3 at 10:52.
Slovakia 3, Kazakhstan 1 -- Daniel Tkac scored the tie-breaking goal for Slovakia with 2:55 remaining in the third period in a Group A game at Werk Arena in Trinec. Oliver Okuliar, a C-rated prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft, also scored for Slovakia. Maxim Musorov scored for Kazakhstan, his third goal in two games.

What we learned on Day 2

Zegras flashes skill for United States

Trevor Zegras never has been shy about his skills, saying before being selected by the Anaheim Ducks with the No. 6 pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, "I'm a little flashier. Everyone says I love the behind the back pass, but it's just another pass for me."
He did it again Friday as he had the primary assist on the United States' first four goals in their win against Germany, including a dazzling spin-around pass to Curtis Hall late in the second period which held up as the game-winning goal.
He set up Jordan Harris' goal on the cycle at 7:04 of the first period, then made the behind the back backhand pass to a pinching Zachary Jones for a goal with 1:22 left in the first.

Then his shot off the rush led to Shane Pinto's goal at 14:16 of the second which tied the game 3-3 and was the first of four straight goals for the United States.
He did it all in 10:04 of ice time, 11th among 13 United States forwards, and 5:20 of it came in the third period.
"He's a really skilled guy and he's working on all that stuff in practice," United States forward Oliver Wahlstrom said. "He does stuff that nobody else does, crazy stuff, so it's funny to see, but I'm happy that all those plays for him worked out today. He played great so it was good."

Don't overlook Hlavaj

Slovakia goalie Samuel Hlavaj didn't enter the World Juniors with the same hype which surrounds Russia's Yaroslav Askarov or Canada's Nicolas Daws, but Hlavaj showed Friday why he's one of the top goalies eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft.
Hlavaj made 22 saves, including 10 in the third period, and was named Slovakia's best player in its win against Kazakhstan. Playing for Sherbrooke in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the 18-year-old has 17 wins and leads the QMJHL with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage in 22 games. He received a B rating from NHL Central Scouting in its preliminary players to watch list.
WJC Coverage: [Day 1 Roundup]