2021 World U18 Championship. Russia - USA - 7:6 OT

In the first match of the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championship, the under 18 Russian national team completed a dramatic comeback against their American hosts, emerging victorious by a score of 7:6 in overtime.

Initially, the Americans opened up a two-goal lead within the opening six minutes, but Danila Yurov promptly halved the deficit for Russia. Nevertheless, the USA were in a ruthless mood, as they went on to score three unanswered goals. Goalkeeper Kirill Gerasimyuk was pulled in favour of Valeri Brinkman in the 22nd minute of play.

That sparked a dramatic rescue mission.

Matvei Michkov - twice -, Vsevolod Gaidamak and Ivan Miroshnichenko all scored in the second frame, with the US only grabbing one more to make the score 6:4 in their favour in the 37th minute.

Miroshnichenko subsequently equalised for Russia with a little over five minutes remaining in the third period.

Overtime was indeed required, and Nikita Chibrikov tallied the winner in the 62nd minute to earn the extra point.

Russia will now prepare to face Finland at 00:00 Moscow time tomorrow.

Match protocol:

Russia U18 - USA U18 - 7:6 OT (1:3, 4:3, 1:0 - 1:0)

Goals:

0:1 Chesley, 02.56
0:2 Duke (Hutson, Pastujov), 05.24
1:2 Yurov (Chibrikov, Makarov), 09.18
1:3 Behrens (Hutson, Cooley), 16.44
1:4 Straky (Howard, Stramel), 21.27
1:5 Pastujov (Hutson, Behrens), 24.16
2:5 Michkov (Gaidamak, Novikov), 26.16
3:5 Gaidamak (Grudinin, Chibrikov), 28.09
4:5 Michkov (Grudinin, Petrov), 33.09
4:6 Duke (Pastujov, Behrens), 36.36
5:6 Miroshnichenko (Koromyslov, Svechkov), 39.12
6:6 Miroshnichenko (Svechkov, Yurov), 54.44
7:6 Chibrikov (Ivantsov), 61.25

Goalkeepers: Gerasimyuk/Brinkman - Homer

Shots on target: 35 - 35

Penalty minutes: 30 - 8

26.04.2021.