CORNWALL, Ontario — Tied at three goals apiece heading into the final period, Canada West scored and added an empty-netter to seal a 5-3 win over Team USA on Sunday in the opening game of World Junior A Challenge preliminary play at the Cornwall Civic Complex.
Moorhead's Gavin Lindberg — a Colorado College commit who plays for the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL — scored for the Americans and the Fargo Force's Cole Knuble also added a shorthanded tally, but Canada West's Zac Somers scored the game-winning goal 11:50 into the third period to secure the victory for the team comprised of players from the Alberta Juniors Hockey League (AJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).
Sam Harris of the Sioux Falls Stampede also scored for the U.S., but the inability to capitalize on the power play, including two chances in the third period, left the Americans without an answer in the final frame.
Erick Roest stopped 34 of 37 shots he faced in net for the Canadians, while Blaine's Christian Manz stopped 27 of 31 in net for the U.S. Ryan St. Louis had two assists for the Americans.
Next up
The U.S. will play Sweden on Tuesday, Dec. 13, in Cornwall before wrapping up preliminary round play with matchups against Canada East and Latvia. The Swedes open their tournament on Monday night against the Latvians.
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