USA vs. Russia: Arthur Kaliyev, Nick Robertson score six seconds apart, lead U.S. to win at World Juniors

Jackie Spiegel

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USA vs. Russia: Arthur Kaliyev, Nick Robertson score six seconds apart, lead U.S. to win at World Juniors image

Two superpowers with long histories — Miracle on Ice, anyone? — hit the ice Sunday for a 2020 IIHF World Juniors preliminary game with major Group B implications. When the clock hit zeroes at the end of the third period, the Americans clinched not only their fifth consecutive victory over Russia at the world junior level with a 3-1 win but have now taken the No. 1 spot in the pool.

The two teams entered the game locked up in a tight race with every single team in Group B, aka the "Group of Death." Through the first three days of the tournament, each team had won one and lost one, meaning you could easily win the group or fall to fifth and need to avoid relegation. Powered by two goals from Arthur Kaliyev and a dominating performance from Spencer Knight in net, the United States holds the cards.

After giving up six goals to Canada in the first game of the tournament , Knight looked solid in net. The Florida Panthers' 2019 first-round pick made 25 saves on 26 shots attempts, including at least eight from the high-danger area. The shot total could have been a lot higher, however, as Team USA players were sacrificing the body by blocking shots, especially late in the game when trying to preserve the two-goal lead.

USA head coach Scott Sandelin united Kaliyev and Trevor Zegras in this one and it paid off ten-fold as Zegras assisted on both goals by the Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL) forward. Prior to the game, ESPN's Chris Peters reported Kaliyev and Zegras have a history playing together dating back to their peewee days. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson scored the second U.S. goal — just six seconds after Kaliyev made it 1-0 and tying a record for two quickest goals by the same team in tournament history. Roberston connected with Oliver Wahlstrom for the goal and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) forward has assisted on both of the Toronto Maple Leaf prospect's goals in the tournament. 

Alexander Romanov (Montreal Canadiens) netted the lone goal for Russia that saw netminder Amir Miftakhov get chased after the third American goal. Russia wraps up the preliminary round on New Year's Eve against Germany and all eyes will be on the net and who gets the call. Yaroslav Askarov, who many have tapped as the No. 1 goaltender at the 2020 draft, came in on Sunday and looked solid in net after being pulled against the Czechs in the team's first game.

The United States finishes preliminary action on Monday against the Czech Republic.

Sporting News had all the action as the two premier teams battle for the top of Group B at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.

USA vs. Russia results, highlights from 2020 World Juniors

(All times are Eastern)

Final score: USA 3, Russia 1

3:30 p.m. — Montreal Canadiens prospect Alexander Romanov named Russia's player of the game. Goaltender and Florida Panthers draftee Spencer Knight named the Americans player of the game.

Third period: USA 3, Russia 1

3:29 p.m — USA holds on to win and are now first in Group B.

3:29 p.m. — Some big blocks by the Americans and you can hear the bench cheer on each of them.

3:27 p.m. — In the end, Russia will have a 6-on-4 with 57 seconds remaining. Ford called for high-sticking, Voronkov for roughing and Curtis Hall for roughing.

3:24 p.m. — Parker Ford with a big block and then nails Alexander Khovanov with a hard hit up high. Russia's Dmitri Voronkov goes after Ford with a big-time facewash. 

3:24 p.m. — Ninety seconds left and the Russians are staying to the outside.

3:22 p.m. — USA calls a timeout as the faceoff will be deep in their own end with two minutes and five seconds remaining and Russia pulling its netminder.

3:16 p.m. — Back to even strength and with just under five minutes remaining it's 3-1 USA.

3:15 p.m. — Americans blocking shots left and right on the penalty kill as Mattias Samuelsson and Jack Drury lay their bodies on the line.

3:12 p.m. — Russia heads to the power play as Spencer Stastney is called for tripping. The Russian power play has yet to score a goal in the tournament.

3:11 p.m. — Big high-danger chance by Parker Ford as the power play expires. Askarov sticks out the leg and makes the save to keep it a two-goal game.

3:09 p.m. — Bad pass by the US springs Nikita Alexandrov but the wrister from the right circle by the St. Louis Blues prospect is stopped by Spencer Knight.

3:07 p.m. — USA heads to the power play as Yegor Sokolov takes out an American at center ice and the puck was nowhere to be seen.

3:04 p.m. — Russia gets a good chance on the short side as Dmitri Voronkov takes a shot that Spencer Knight can't control and it pops out for a secondary chance.

2:59 p.m. — A few USA Hockey notes : The two goals from the second period tied a World Juniors record for fastest two goals by the same team and Kaliyev's first goal of the night was the 1,200th in USA Men's National Junior Team history

2:56 p.m. — GOAL. Montreal Canadiens prospect Alexander Romanov with the one-timer from between the top of the circles. USA leads 3-1.

2:53 p.m. — Amir Miftakhov is pulled after letting that one in. Top 2020 goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov gets between the pipes.

2:52 p.m. — GOAL. The #ArtyParty rolls on as Arthur Kaliyev snaps it from the top of the left circle and it rolls through the wickets of Miftakhov. USA leads 3-1.

2:50 p.m. — Third period underway.

Second period: USA 2, Russia 0

2:34 p.m. — Lots of pushing and shoving at the buzzer as Oliver Wahlstrom and Nikita Rtishev say hello and Rtishev throws a non-contact head butt.

2:32 p.m. — USA heads back to the power play as Dmitri Voronkov is called for holding.

2:31 p.m. — Russia comes super close to getting one back but good defense by Shane Pinto to pick up the stick at the last second.

2:29 p.m. — GOAL. Seconds later — six to be exact — right off the faceoff, Oliver Wahlstrom sends the puck across and it bounces off Nick Robertson's skate and bounces past Amir Miftakhov. A quick turn of events in the Czech Republic. USA leads 2-0.

2:29 p.m. — PP GOAL. Trevor Zegras with a perfect cross-seam pass to Arthur Kaliyev for the one-timer. USA leads 1-0.

2:27 p.m. — Russia gets a shorthanded chance that goes off the pipe.

2:25 p.m. — Even strength again . . . for a short amount of time. USA back to the power play as Beecher is tripped.

2:24 p.m. — Somehow the Russians do not score as they swarm the crease; bodies flying around the net including a diving Jack Drury to protect the open net. Spencer Knight comes up with some big pad stops.

2:23 p.m. — Spencer Stastney called for slashing and Russia gets another power-play chance.

2:18 p.m. — Back to even strength. Lots of shots being blocked in this game by both teams.

2:14 p.m. — USA heads to the power play and will try to breakthrough.

2:08 p.m. —  Just before the penalties, Shane Pinto takes a stick to the neck; it looks like a flying one from one of the Russians. He has a red mark on his neck but is fine as Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion looks on from the stands.

2:07 p.m. — Oliver Wahlstrom and Dmitri Vornkov called for coincidental minors as they wrestle each other to the ice. 

2:05 p.m. — John Beecher is back on the ice and his linemate Alex Turcotte gets a good scoring chance.

2:04 p.m. — Jack Drury blocks a shot right off the inside of the left skate and limps off.

2:04 p.m. — Russian does not score on the power play and it's still scoreless in Ostrava.

2:01 p.m. — Nick Robertson loses the puck in the offensive zone and trips the Russian defender. Skate 4-on-4 until the Russian's get another power-play opportunity.

2:00 p.m — Puck dropped on the second period.

1:48 p.m. —  USA will have 1:43 of power-play time to work with when the second period starts.

1:45 p.m. — Don't believe John Beecher played the last five minutes of the period after taking that hard hit. We'll see if he returns for the second.

First period: USA 0, Russia 0

1:40 p.m. — USA heads to the power play. Shane Pinto gets crushed in center ice by Danil Misyul. The New Jersey Devils draft pick gets two and 10.

1:38 p.m. — Big check on Bobby Brink in front of the Russian bench by Nikita Alexandrov.

1:33 p.m. — John Beecher gets hit hard by Alexander Romanov in open-ice in the defensive end and is in some discomfort.

1:26 p.m. — USA kills off the four-minute penalty kill.

1:23 p.m. — Spencer Knight big, smart save on Kirill Marchenko (Columbus draft pick). Spencer Stastney forcing the shot for a perfectly positioned Knight to stop.

1:19 p.m. — Russia heads to the power play for four minutes on two slashing calls to Arthur Kaliyev. They are 0-for-8 in the tournament.

1:15 p.m. — Still scoreless as the penalty ends.

1:14 p.m. — Americans get a couple of rebound chances in tight on Miftakhov but can't get it past him on the power play.

1:12 p.m. — On the breakout, Alexander Khovanov finishes a late check and is called for the penalty.

1:11 p.m. — USA springs out 2-on-1 but John Beecher and Alex Turcotte cannot connect.

1:09 p.m. — Game on! USA starting with line of Robertson-Pinto-Wahlstrom

Pregame

12:59 p.m. — DYK: USA enters the game with four consecutive wins against the Russians.

12:38 p.m. — Warmups are underway in Ostrava, Czech Republic

11:43 a.m. — Russia going back to Miftakhov.

11:33 a.m. — Lines are here.

Relevant links

Tournament USA

Jackie Spiegel