Dylan Larkin lifts US to 3-2 OT win over Finland at worlds
KOSICE, Slovakia (AP) — Dylan Larkin scored with 1:13 left in overtime and Cory Schneider stopped 24 shots, lifting the United States to a 3-2 win over Finland on Monday at the world hockey championship.
Larkin ended the 3-on-3 overtime, carrying the puck inside the right circle and scoring on a wrist shot that got past Veini Vehvilainen’s blocker. The Finns complained about an open-ice hit that wasn’t ruled a penalty against the U.S. shortly before Larkin scored the game-winning goal.
Brady Skjei scored in the opening minute and Johnny Gaudreau put the Americans up 2-0 midway through the third period. The Finns rallied to tie the game 2-all with Harri Pesonen’s goal in the last minute of the opening period and Niko Ojamaki’s goal midway through the second.
The matchup in Group A featured American center Jack Hughes and Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko, who are expected to be picked No. 1 and 2 overall, respectively, in the NHL draft next month.
Russia stayed undefeated in Group B and handed the Czech Republic its first loss, winning 3-0 in Bratislava.
Sergei Andronov scored midway through the first period and Nikita Gusev gave the Russians a 2-0 lead in the middle of the second. Nikita Zaitsev added an empty-net goal late in the game and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with a 23-save shutout.
The Russians are 3-0, outscoring opponents 13-2.
