In their previous WJC victories, Team USA has built big leads and waltzed their way to relatively easy wins. It happened against Germany and Slovakia in the preliminary round, it happened against the Czechs and Canada in the medal round, but it’s likely not going to happen against Sweden in the gold medal game, where the teams are tied 0-0 through one period.
USA vs. Sweden score, World Junior hockey 2013: Scoreless through one period
We’re scoreless through one period in the gold medal game.
Bruce Bennett
The United States lost two close games in the prelims, to Canada and Russia, so it’s not as if they’re unaccustomed to playing tight hockey. They’ve also been the most successful special teams squad in the tournament, which could wind up helping them in a gold medal match that saw four penalties called in the first period. The power play was less than sharp for USA in the first, but they’ll likely see more opportunities to perfect it.
Johnny Gaudreau was again a bright spot for the USA in the first, as was goaltender John Gibson, as has become the norm. Gibson made seven saves in the first while his counterpart, Swedish goaltender Niklas Lundstrom, was just as impressive, making 11 stops in the first.
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