Kings prospect Robbie Czarnik assisted on Team USA's game-winning goal, in an 8-1 rout.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Thanks to an effective power play and stingy defense, Team USA rattled off seven unanswered goals to defeat Russia, 8-1, in the first of four games between the two teams at the 2009 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp. Kings prospect Robbie Czarnik assisted on the game-winning goal.

Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored twice and John Carlson (Colonia, N.J.) and Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J.) each logged a goal and two assists in the victory. Meanwhile, goaltender Mike Lee (Roseau, Minn.) played the entire game between the pipes for Team USA, earning the victory.

“We found out a lot about our team tonight,” said Dean Blais (International Falls, Minn.), head coach of the 2010 U.S. National Junior Team. “Our offense played with a lot of speed, Mike Lee was spectacular when he was tested in the third, and we were very disciplined.”

Team USA jumped out to a 2-1 lead after a flurry of goals in the game’s third minute. Kristo potted his fifth goal of the camp with a wrist shot high to the glove side at 2:03 of the first. Following a quick Russian response by Vladimir Tarasenko, Team USA’s Palmieri jammed a wraparound behind goalie Alexey Trifonov at 2:44, marking the third goal scored in 41 seconds.

A pair of Russian penalties put Team USA on a two-man advantage midway through the first period, and the home squad capitalized. Carlson sent a hard wrist shot towards the net, where Zach Budish (Edina, Minn.) redirected the puck top into the upper corner of the net for a 3-1 lead.

Team USA gave itself a comfortable cushion with four goals in the second period. After Carlson connected on a power-play goal two minutes into the frame, Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) slipped a breakaway shot low past Trifonov at 3:36 of the second, extending Team USA’s lead to 5-1. After Russia replaced Trifonov with goalie Dmitry Shikin, Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.) and Kristo each connected to give Team USA a six-goal lead after two periods.

Camp points-leader Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) finished off the night’s scoring with a power-play goal with two minutes remaining in the contest.

NOTES: The USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp will feature three more games between Team USA and Russia Aug. 12-15 … Full camp coverage, including stats, photos and features, are available at usahockey.com … The 2010 U.S. National Junior Team, to be selected later this year, will participate in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Regina and Saskatoon, Sask., Dec. 26 – Jan. 5.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

 

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Kristo (Stepan), 2:03; 2, RUS, Tarasenko (Kulemin), 2:17; 3, USA, Palmieri (Czarnik, McRae), 2:44; 4, USA, Budish (Carlson, Schroeder), 11:55 (ppg). Penalties: RUS, Burmistrov (roughing), 3:52; RUS, Guryanov (hooking), 10:10; RUS, Kostev (hooking), 11:10.

Second Period - Scoring: 5, USA, Carlson (McRae, Palmieri), 2:16 (ppg); 6, USA, Morin (unassisted), 3:36; 7, USA, Bourque (Moore), 10:11; 8, USA, Kristo (Fowler, Moore), 15:00 (ppg). Penalties: RUS, Nikontsev (diving), 1:46; USA, Morin (slashing), 7:25; USA, Morin (tripping), 7:25; RUS, Guryanov (tripping), 9:37; USA, Wideman (hooking), 11:01; RUS, Ostapchuk (hooking), 14:42; RUS, Selyanin (hooking), 17:31; USA, Comrie (hooking), 18:19.

Third Period - Scoring: 9, USA, Schroeder (Palmieri, Carlson), 18:02. Penalties: RUS, Burmistrov (slashing), 1:52; RUS, Selyanin (slashing), 7:12; RUS, Chudinov (roughing), 8:07; USA, Johnson (holding), 13:14; RUS, Selyanin (high-sticking), 16:31; RUS, Zaytsev (roughing), 19:59.

Power Play: USA 4-10; RUS 0-5
Penalties: USA 5-10; RUS 11-22