The first semi-final of the youth world championship - Russia - USA. The opponents have already met at the group stage, and then the Americans won - 3:2. Before the start of the match, the following two facts gave hope to our fans: we do not lose to the Americans in the playoff series and in the case of two meetings of approximately equal opponents in the course of one championship, the victories are usually divided in half. This has been the case in recent years.
The Russian team opened the scoring in the middle of the first period after Kirill Kaprizov came out from behind the gate.
But in the last minute of the period, the Americans leveled the score, Samsonov did not cope with the throw from zero angle.
Russia - USA. 1:1. Clayton Keller
At the beginning of the second twenty-minute period, Denis Guryanov again brings our team forward.
Russia - USA. 2:1. Denis Guryanov
The Americans win back in the majority, and then for the first time in the match they take the lead.
Russia - USA. 2:3. Colin White
In the 46th minute, Guryanov intercepted an opponent's pass and ran one on one with goalkeeper Parsons. Our striker gracefully outplayed the American goalkeeper. 3:3 - the score that lasted until the end of regular time of the match.
Russia - USA. 3:3. Denis Guryanov
A ten-minute overtime in the four-on-four format did not bring any goals, although there were plenty of chances.
Russia - USA. Shtanga and Ilya Samsonov save the Russians
The fate of a ticket to the semifinals was decided in a shootout. A series of five shots ended in a draw - 2:2, Guryanov and Vorobyov scored for us, Terry and Bracco for the Americans, moreover, with the last two shots in the series. It is curious that not everyone in our team knew that now in the first series the teams perform five attempts. After the Americans missed for the third time in a row, and we already had Guryanov's goal, part of the team even managed to rejoice at the victory.
Further - until the first miss. Guryanov scores again, for the fourth time in a match - two in the main and two shootouts. The Americans Troy Terry outplayed Samsonov on a pause. Polunin comes out - and here is the first miss, when it is no longer possible to miss. And the Americans have Terry again and this is the third time. And again he hits the gates of Samsonov - the victory of the Americans. And we remember the shootout series Russia - USA at the Olympics in Sochi. Then TJ Oshi became the evil genius of our team, who repeatedly scored the post-match shot against Bobrovsky.
Russia - USA. 3:4. Shootouts
Now the Russian team will play in the match for third place with the loser in the semi-final Canada - Sweden.