United States Falls To Canada, 3-1
August 26, 2004
OTTAWA, Ontario -- Team USA fell to Canada, 3-1, here tonight at the Corel Centre in the second exhibition game between these two teams prior to the World Cup of Hockey 2004. The defending champion U.S. next faces Russia in its third and final warm-up contest at 7 p.m. EDT on Friday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Tournament play opens for the Americans on Tuesday, Aug. 31 versus Canada in Montreal, Quebec.
The United States (1-1-0) initially appeared to strike first but a goal by forward Doug Weight (Warren, Mich./St. Louis Blues) midway through the opening period was overturned. The first period instead ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
Team Canada (1-1-0) then took a 1-0 lead when forward Vincent Lecavalier notched an unassisted tally on the power play 5:25 into the middle frame on a three-on-one rush up the ice. Skating in from the right side, Lecavalier shot through the five-hole of U.S. goaltender Ty Conklin (Anchorage, Alaska/Edmonton Oilers). Just 2:20 later the host team jumped out to a two-goal advantage when Joe Sakic found the back of the net. Canada’s Brad Richards converted on a give-and-go with Mario Lemieux :30 before the end of the period to stake a 3-0 lead.
The United States answered when forward Chris Drury (Trumbull, Conn./Buffalo Sabres) re-directed the puck in front of the net past Canadian goaltender Jose Theodore early in the third period. Defenseman Aaron Miller (Buffalo, N.Y./Los Angeles Kings) and forward Keith Tkachuk (Melrose, Mass./St. Louis Blues) were credited with assists on the play. The U.S. outshot their opponents 15-6 in the third, but could not draw any closer.
Robert Esche (Whitesboro, N.Y./Philadelphia Flyers) and Conklin combined in net for Team USA, with Esche turning aside all six shots he faced. Conklin stopped 12 of 15 shots while taking the loss.
U.S. defenseman Hal Gill (Concord, Mass./Boston Bruins) was lost for the tournament after sustaining a broken foot. A replacement is expected to be announced shortly.