Former Terrier Kieffer Bellows scored twice—including the third-period game-winner as Team USA defeated Russia, 4-2, in the quarterfinals of the IIHF World Junior Championships in Buffalo. The U.S. will meet Sweden in the semifinals on Thursday (4 p.m. ET), while Canada (with Terrier blueliner Dante Fabbro), an 8-2 winner against Switzerland, is in the other semifinal, meeting the Czech Republic, which upset Finland (with BU’s Kasper Kotkansalo), 4-3, in a shootout.
Bellows gave the U.S. an early lead on a power play, one-timing a Brady Tkachuk touch pass home from the right faceoff dot. Team USA held a 2-1 lead going into the final period, but Russia knotted the score at 2-2 early in the period. At 12:31, Bellows beat a Russian defender to a rebound off the end boards and rifled the puck past Vladislav Sukhachyov, launching the water bottle into the air. Team captain Joey Anderson would add an empty-netter for the 4-2 final.
Steve Greeley handing out the Player of the Game hardware! Congrats to Kieffer on his big game. On to the semis! #GoBU#BUSApic.twitter.com/GxVJ6JOTIp— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) January 3, 2018
Bob Motzko on Brady Tkachuk: He has to be one of the top performers in the tournament. He’s making a big impact. I hope you a see it, because we’re seeing it (Yes, Bob, we’re seeing it.)— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) January 3, 2018
Tkachuk led all U.S. skaters with 25:24 in ice time.
● USA Hockey recap, photo gallery, video highlights
● IIHF recap and photo gallery; box score
● USA Today Bellows lifts Team USA
● NHL.com recap
●● SB Nation WJC Notebook
Olympic Hockey
●The New York Times US Olympic Hockey Mystery Men (Chris Bourque, Jordan Greenway, John McCarthy)
● WickedLocal Boxford's Bourque named to Olympic Team
►Terriers return to the ice on Friday with an exhibition against the NTDP U18s with four 2018 BU recruits: forwards Joel Farabee, Tyler Weiss, Jake Wise and Jack DeBoer. Puck drop at Agganis is at 7:30 p.m. BU gets back to Hockey East action the next night, hosting Maine.
► New England Hockey Journal Hanging out with Bobo Carpenter
Looking back
Chaser knockin at the back door! #CapsCanes#ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/hm85k3qJTk— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 3, 2018
Alex Chiasson scored his seventh goal in the Capitals’ 5-4 overtime win against Carolina.
● NHL.com recap and highlights
Charlie Coyle scored his third goal as Minnesota thumped Florida, 5-1.
● NHL.com recap and highlights
Women’s Team
Senior captain Rebecca Leslie has been named captain of Team Canada at the upcoming Nations Cup tournament. Victoria Bach will wear an “A” during the event in Fussen, Germany, beginning today.
NEWS | @beccalesliee will wear the 'C' for 🇨🇦 at the #NationsCup, joined by alternate captains @veebach21& @jheals7. #NWDTpic.twitter.com/6bxsxuJypn— Team Canada Women (@HC_Women) January 3, 2018