World Junior A Challenge: Americans Cruise Past Russians in Opening Game

Team USA got off to a sensational start at the World Junior A Challenge, being held in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The Americans opened their gold medal defense with an easy 8-3 victory over Russia.

Karson Kuhlman(Minnesota-Duluth) got the scoring started early for the US, tallying his first goal of the tournament just 1:01 into the first period. That was the lone goal of the period. In the second period, the US would blow things wide open, scoring five times in the period to take a commanding 6-1 lead, en route to the 8-3 victory.

Leading the way for the US were Nick Schmaltz(North Dakota) and Zeb Knutson(Minnesota State), who had two goals each. Other players to put up multi-point games were Kuhlman, Connor Hurley(Notre Dame), Kyle Connor(Michigan), and Jordan Gross(Notre Dame).

The US is back in action tomorrow when they face Canada East at 7pm EST in their final game before the knockout round begins.