USA Bests Finland, 5-2, at 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp - Junior Hockey News

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. - Team USA received goals from three of its four forward lines and never trailed in its 5-2 win over Finland here today at Herb Brooks Arena at the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp.Stefan Noesen (Plano, Texas) had a goal and an assist and Tyler Biggs (Binghamton, N.Y.) had a pair of assists.

"I was really pleased the way we played the second half of the game," said Phil Housley, head coach of the 2013 U.S. National Junior Team. "I thought early we turned the puck over but we seemed to settle down and we took what was given. We were able to get some really good pressure in the zone and capitalize on some transition goals. Overall I really liked our effort."

Of the 34 players still in camp, 22 dressed in today's game. The group is auditioning for the U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship , Dec. 26, 2012-Jan. 5, 2013, in Ufa, Russia.

Team USA opened the scoring at the 15-minute mark of the first period on Stefan Matteau's (Chicago, Ill.) rebound tally. Biggs and Andrew Welinski (Duluth, Minn.) drew the assists.

Finland evened the score at 1-1 with 1:44 to play in the first period.

Scoring commenced in the latter half of the second period as Team USA lit the lamp at 13:32 and 16:14.Sean Kuraly (Dublin, Ohio) scored his fifth goal in four games by recovering his own blocked shot and wristing it past the goalie from in front. John Gaudreau (Carneys Point, N.J.) made it 3-1 by beating the goalie glove side from the left circle. Shayne Gostisbehere (Margate, Fla.) developed the play, skating from behind the U.S. net and through the neutral zone. Finland cut the USA lead to 3-2 at 18:00.

Team USA sealed the win with goals at 14:59 and 16:04. Nicolas Kerdiles (Irvine, Calif.) cashed in on a scramble in front of the Finland goalie and Noesen forced a turnover deep in Finnish territory before batting in a loose puck.

Starting goalie John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) played 35:11 and stopped 12 of the 13 shots he faced. Garret Sparks (Elmhurst, Ill.) denied nine of 10 shots.

Next, the United States squad will take on Sweden on Thursday, Aug. 9. To conclude the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, the U.S. will face Finland on Saturday, Aug. 11.

NOTES: Use the hashtag #njec on Twitter to join the conversation surrounding this week's camp ... The online home for the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, including the Team USA roster and online bios, can be found by clicking here ... All games from the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp are being streamed live and are available on demand at FASTHockey.com ... The 2013 U.S. National Junior Team will be selected in late December following a pre-tournament camp from Dec. 19-23 to be held in Helsinki, Finland ... Phil Housley (South St. Paul, Minn.), head boy's ice hockey coach at Stillwater (Minn.) High School, is the head coach of the 2013 U.S. National Junior Team. He is assisted byMark Osiecki (Columbus, Ohio), head men's ice hockey coach at Ohio State University and Grant Potulny(Minneapolis, Minn.), assistant men's ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota ... Greg Brown(Scituate, Mass.), assistant men's ice hockey coach coach at Boston College, Joe Exter (Columbus, Ohio), assistant men's ice hockey coach at Ohio State University, Tony Granato (South Hills, Pa.), assistant coach for the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins and Don Lucia (Plymouth, Minn.), head men's ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota are also participating in Lake Placid as camp coaches ...Jim Johannson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Hockey's assistant executive director of hockey operations, is serving as the general manager of Team USA for the fourth consecutive year. Tim Taylor (Guilford, Conn.) is the director of player personnel.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Matteau (Biggs, Welinski), 15:00; 2, FIN, Aaltonen (Maatta), 18:16. Penalties: USA, Noesen (roughing), 0:20; FIN, Armia (hooking), 4:22; FIN, Liedes (high sticking), 9:41; FIN, Ristolainen (tripping), 11:47; USA, Miller (slashing), 19:59.

Second Period - Scoring: 3, USA, Kuraly (Lucia, Noesen), 13:32; 4, USA, Gaudreau (Gostisbehere, Sparks), 16:14; 5, FIN, Aaltonen (Ikonen, Teravainen), 18:00. Penalties: FIN, Lindell (roughing), 15:11; USA, Miller (roughing), 15:11.

Third Period - Scoring: 6, USA, Kerdiles (Biggs), 14:59; 7, USA, Noesen (unassisted), 16:04. Penalties: USA, Bardreau (slashing), 7:51; USA, Kerdiles (roughing), 18:03; FIN, Barkov (roughing), 18:03; USA, Gostisbehere (tripping), 19:01; FIN, Aaltonen (slashing), 19:41; FIN, Liedes (checking from behind), 19:54; FIN, Liedes (game misconduct), 19:54; USA, Murphy (roughing), 19:54.

Power Play: USA 0-3; Finland 0-4
Penalties: USA White 7-14; Finland 8-27