Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey

Team USA claims silver at 2019 World Juniors after falling to Finland

 

By @MichaelCaples –

They rallied late in the third, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.

Team USA will return from Vancouver with silver medals around their necks – something they should certainly wear with pride.

Saturday night at the home of the Vancouver Canucks, the U.S. fell to Finland 3-2 in the final game of the 2019 World Juniors.

It’s the fourth straight medal for USA Hockey at the IIHF World Junior Championship – a first for the Red, White and Blue.

Michigan natives Sasha Chmelevski and Josh Norris scored the two goals for Team USA – both came after their team had fallen behind 2-0.

An overturned goal early loomed large throughout the entire night, as NTDP alum Oliver Wahlstrom seemingly gave Team USA the game’s first goal only for it to be overturned due to goaltender interference by Chmelevski.

 

Chmelevski scored the first goal of the game for Team USA with 12:59 remaining in regulation when he finished off a scramble he started with a rush to the Finland goal.

One minute and 46 seconds later, Norris tied the contest when he buried a cross-ice feed from Chmelevski to make it 2-2.