Bruins prospects are off to a good start at the 2014 World Juniors in Sweden, as all three of them won their opening games. A young kid from Massachusetts shines in his first game on the big stage.
Assistant Captain and future Bruins defender Matt Grzelcyk had much to talk about after a great start to the tournament for the US-boys. From the first shift on they were attacking the net hard, resulting in two early PP situations onwhich they scored. Grzelcyk himself assisted on a weird deflection goal by winger Riley Barber.
Great puck movement was the key on the second powerplay goal 2 minutes into the game, when Will Butcher pinched in to convert a perfect cross-ice pass from Jack Eichel. Eichel, a former Boston Jr. Bruin and Massachusetts native who just recently turned 17, had an outstanding game skating the Czech defense crazy and winning battles at the boards. This season he has 22 points (13 goals) in 10 games for the US. National Team Development Program and is already compared to fellow Canadian prodigy Connor McDavid.
Eichel be joining Boston University next season, beeing a highly-touted draft candidate for the 2015 NHL draft. Another guy with New England associations had a great start to this years competition as goalie Jon Gillies of Providence College "was there when they needed him" earning his first World Junior win as a starter. Beeing last years back-up behind tournament MVP John Gibson, Gillies stopped 23 of 24 shots on his net, showing impregnability during a Czech flurry midgame.
Team USA went on to win 5 - 1 against the Czech Republic with goals from Hudson Fasching (Kings pros.) and Jaccob Slavin (Canes pros.) in the 2nd period and Vince Hinostroza (Hawks pros.) right before the end of the game. Grzelcyk and his team take on Slovakia and fellow B's prospect Peter Cehlárik tomorrow.
The Slovaks won their opening-match against Germany 9 - 2 in similar fashion, two goals on the power-play in the first and an amazing accuracy, using the chances they were given by a weak German defense.
Captain Milan Kolena (2 goals, 1 assist) and David Griger (1 goal, 4 assists) where anxious to impress the scouts in the stands alongside Canadiens prospect Martin Reway (1 goal, 3 assists) on Slovakia's top-line.
Bruins prospect Peter Cehlárik fed Marko Dano in the crease after a nice one-two early in the second period to make it 4 - 0. Midway into the 3rd Cehlárik sents Dano upfront who has all the time in the world to pass back to Mario Luntner, making it 8 - 2 with a nice wrister. With Germany down at the table with already 2 games played, the Slovaks are almost sure through to the quarterfinals as they face Team USA tomorrow.
Lead by a strong Captain Filip Forsberg Sweden pulled out a tight 5 - 3 win over Switzerland infront of their home crowd. Bruins prospect Linus Arnesson went to the box early in the first, resulting in Switzerland's leading goal by Sandro Zangger. The Swedes were able to tie it just a minute later when Forsberg went by 4 Swiss on his own and scoring from the blue-line in the same sequence. A crazy first period went on as Switzerland's Kevin Fiala scored just to see Lukas Bengtsson tie the game 22 seconds later.
Another sensational play by the teams Captain got them the first lead as Forsberg found Sundqvist in the crease after "dancing off the corner boards." Goals from Christian Djoos and Andreas Johnson in the 3rd secured an opening victory for the host nation.
B's Arnesson ended the night with a +1 rating playing on the first D-line alongside Djoos. Sweden faces their arch-rivals from Finland in tomorrow's game.
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