USA edges Canada 5-4 in shootout at IIHF World Championship 2018 opener

Jim Cerny

USA edges Canada 5-4 in shootout at IIHF World Championship 2018 opener image

In an entertaining -- if often sloppy -- opener at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark, the United States overcame a slow start to beat Canada 5-4 in a shootout on Friday.

Canada scored only 43 seconds into the contest and led 2-0 less than 13 minutes into play, but U.S. goaltender Keith Kinkaid turned in an outstanding performance to backstop the comeback victory. Kinkaid stopped 40 of 44 shots through regulation and overtime and another five of six in the shootout to earn USA Player of the Game honors.

Kinkaid's counterpart in goal, Darcy Kuemper, was not nearly as sharp during the game, though he held his own during the shootout.

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Dylan Larkin scored twice for the United States, while Cam Atkinson scored both of Team USA's goals in the shootout, including the Round 6 winner. Canada had four different goal scorers -- Pierre-Luc Dubois, Ryan O'Reilly, Anthony Beauvillier and Colton Parayko -- and Connor McDavid had an assist. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad was selected as Canada's Player of the Game.

Team USA is right back at it Saturday, skating against host Denmark, while Canada faces Korea on Sunday.

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Follow along as Sporting News provides live updates of Canada vs. United States.

Canada vs. USA: Live score, updates

Shootout

Round 6 USA Atkinson beats Kuemper with backhand / CAN Eberle shoots into Kinkaid's pads USA 2-1/USA wins 5-4

 

 

Round 5 CAN Horvat stopped by Kinkaid/ USA Larkin denied by Kuemper pad Tied 1-1

Round 4  Can Nugent-Hopkins stopped  by Kinkaid/ USA Hughes stopped by Kuemper Tied 1-1

Round 3  Can Schenn denied by Kinkaid/ USA Gaudreau stopped by Kuemper Tied 1-1

Round 2  CAN Eberle forehand five-hole goal/ USA Kane forehand into pads Tied 1-1

Round 1  CAN Barzal backhand off cross bar/ USA Atkinson great move, forehand scores 1-0 USA

Overtime

12:46 Horn sounds and we are heading to a shootout. McDavid not allowed to shoot for Canada because of his late penalty. Game tied 4-4

12:44 Connor McDavid trips Johnny Gaudreau with 16.8 seconds to play. Team USA power play.

12:43 Canada way too deliberate, not enough puck movement on power play. Back to even strength.

12:39 Coach Peters double-shifts McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins. It pays off as Blake Coleman called for holding McDavid. Canada power play at 1:32

12:36 Three on three overtime. McDavid-Nugent-Hopkins-Ekblad start for Canada

Third Period

12:32 We are headed to overtime! Canada outshooting USA 40-23. Game tied 4-4

12:29 Canada kills it off. Kuemper one good save through traffic on Butcher slap shot.

12:26 Pierre-Luc Dubois buries Neal Pionk with high hit. 2 minutes for boarding. USA power play with 4 minutes to play in regulation.

12:18 Canada scores! McDavid zips pass into the slot and Colton Parayko beats a lunging Kinkaid at 10:48. Game tied 4-4

12:15 Barzal is in for the shot -- no he's not! Connor Murphy swipes puck off his stick at last second. Under ten minutes to play in third.

12:04 Dylan Larkin takes a chip pass from Chris Kreider, breaks in all alone and beats Kuemper stick side at 3:27. USA leads 4-3

 

 

12:02 Mathew Barzal of Canada two good chances in tight, but Kinkaid is there for the stops.

11:58 Kinkaid terrific left pad save on Nugent-Hopkins from the slot off McDavid feed just 51 seconds into the third.

11:57 Puck is dropped. Tie game entering third period.

 

 

Second Period

11:42 Horn sounds. Both teams have rallied to pull even, and we are tied after two periods. Game tied 3-3

 

 

11:41 Darcy Kuemper's best save comes with under a minute to play in second. Gloves wide-open rising blast by Connor Murphy.

11:38 Anthony Beauvillier buries rebound at 17:53. Ekblad with original shot. Mathew Barzal also assists.  Game tied 3-3

11:37 Pretty passing play off rush for Canada: McDavid to Schwartz to Nugent-Hopkins, who chips shot just wide of the cage.

11:30  Team USA kills it off. Pair of solid Kinkaid saves on Eberle one-timer and O'Reilly down low.

11:26 Too many Americans on the ice now. Second power play for Canada at 11:01

11:23 Johnny Gaudreau off the rush, squeezes left-wing shot between Kuemper and the post at ten-minute mark. Patrick Kane and Blake Coleman assist.  USA leads 3-2

 

 

11:19 Bailey cross ice to O'Reilly, right wing shot gobbled up by Kinkaid.

11:16 Brayden Schenn all alone, but his rising shot denied by glove hand of Kinkaid

11:11 Canada scored in first minute of opening period, Team USA does same here in second. Dylan Larkin converts neat pass down low from Chris Kreider just 43 seconds in. Jordan Oesterle also with an assist.  Game tied 2-2

 

 

11:10 Second period is underway. Kinkaid with 13 saves, Kuemper with 4.

First Period

10:52 Horn sounds. Very strong first period for Canada, but Team USA hangs in there with great goaltending from Kinkaid and clutch goal from Lee. Canada leads 2-1

 

 

10:44 Anthony Beauvillier sent in on breakaway. Pad save Kinkaid.

10:42 Anders Lee flies down right wing and beats Kuemper far side at 13:59. Credit Tage Thompson and Alex Debrincat with the assists.   Canada leads 2-1

 

 

10:40 Canada's Ryan O'Reilly sweeps loose puck into gaping cage with Kinkaid pulled out of position at 12:23. Josh Bailey with the assist.  Canada leads 2-0

 

 

10:39 Will Butcher of Team USA hits iron

10:36 Canada coach Bill Peters liking familiarity out there -- using an all-Islanders line of Beauvillier-Barzal-Eberle and pairing Edmonton's  Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on same line.

10:34 Canada completes a change of forward line during long, dominating shift in Team USA zone.

10:30 A follow up Team Canada power play fails. Terrific one on one stop by Kinkaid on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

10:23 Too many Canadians on the ice, Team USA power play at 2:06

10:21 Canada scores! Pierre-Luc Dubois collects loose puck in slot and roofs it over Kinkaid just 47 seconds into the game. Bo Horvat credited with lone assist.  Canada leads 1-0

10:20 Canada comes out buzzing on first shift. Kinkaid with good save on Aaron Ekblad shot through traffic.

10:20 Puck dropped. The 2018 IIHF World Championships are underway! Connor McDavid and Dylan Larkin on the draw.

10:16 Team Canada wearing white jerseys, United States wearing bluie sweaters. Teams standing on respective blue lines for moment of silence, honoring those from hockey world who passed away in the past year, including members of Humboldt Broncos.

 

 

10:15 Teams take to the ice. Darcy Kuemper starts in goal for Canada. Keith Kinkaid between the peipes for United States.

Pregame

10:05

 

 

10:00

 

 

9:50

 

 

9:40

 

 

9:30 am

 

 

11:30 p.m.  Here's the latest from U.S. coach Jeff Blashill, Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin and the aforementioned captain Kane.

 

Jim Cerny