Belarus tops U.S. team at World Junior event

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The United States was unable to rally from a four-goal deficit and lost to Belarus 5-3 in pool play of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Hockey Championship on Wednesday night, the Americans’ first loss since in the tournament in two years.

The defending champion U.S. team had won eight straight games in the tournament, with its last loss coming against Finland in the bronze-medal game two years ago.

Belarus had lost its last three games and had been outscored 19-4.

In other games, the Czech Republic beat Switzerland 5-2; Finland rallied to defeat Sweden 5-4; and Slovakia defeated Germany 5-0.

After the Americans gave up eight goals in their first two games, U.S. coach Scott Sandelin started Cory Schneider in goal instead of Al Montoya, who played all six games in the event a year ago.

But the U.S. team was sloppy in its end and Belarus scored on three of its first seven shots. Montoya replaced Schneider after Alexei Savin’s goal gave Belarus a 3-1 lead early in the second period.

Montoya allowed a goal on the first shot he faced, when Siarhei Kukushkin scored on a long slap shot. Andrei Kastsitsyn’s second-period goal made it 5-1.

Belarus goalie Stepan Goryachevskikh made 39 saves, including 20 in the final period.