| 
						
							| PLAYED AT: Servus Arena Date: Aug  7, 2018
 GAME NOTES: AMERICANS CONTINUE SCORING, BEAT FINNS TO CLINCH SEMI SPOT
JASON LA ROSE
RED DEER, Alta. – Luke Toporowski opened and closed the scoring, and added an assist in between, leading the United States to a 6-2 win over Finland on Tuesday night and a spot in the semifinals at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
The Americans continued to score seemingly at will; including pre-tournament, they have scored 22 goals in three games, while allowing just six.
Toporowski was first on the board midway through the first period, redirecting a Michael Feenstra shot through Finnish netminder Roope Taponen to give the Americans a lead they would never relinquish.
Sam Colangelo netted the 2-0 goal at 18:17, sneaking behind the Finnish defence and going to the backhand on the breakaway, but Aku Räty answered for the Finns just 19 seconds later to make it a one-goal game after 20 minutes.
The teams traded goals in the second period; Arthur Kaliyev converted a mini 2-on-0 down low to put the Americans back up by a pair 90 seconds into the second period before Anton Lundell showed off his quick release on the power play to send the game to the intermission at 3-2 U.S.
Finland held a 14-11 advantage in shots on goal in the third period, but couldn’t find a way past U.S. goaltender Dustin Wolf, who finished with 29 saves to record his second win.
John Farinacci added a little insurance at 5:13 of the final frame, burying a centering feed after Robert Mastrosimone force a turnover deep in the Finnish zone, and Jackson Jutting making it 5-2 only 17 seconds after that to put the game out of reach.
Toporowski scored shorthanded with 2:31 left to provide the final margin of victory for the U.S.
First place in Group B will be on the line Wednesday when the Americans take on Russia (7 p.m. MT), while the Finns will face the Czech Republic in their preliminary-round finale (3 p.m. MT).
 | Visiting Team: Finland 
 | Home Team: United States 
 |  |  | 
			
				| 
						
							| FINLAND LINEUP |  
							| Pos | No. | Name |  | G | 1 | Taponen, Roope |  | G | 31 | Piiroinen, Kari |  |  | 2 | Kokkonen, Mikko |  |  | 3 | Loponen, Kalle |  |  | 4 | Räsänen, Iivari |  |  | 5 | Holtinkoski, Aapo |  |  | 9 | Koskenkorva, Samu |  |  | 10 | Aaltonen, Leevi |  |  | 12 | Nikkanen, Henri |  |  | 18 | Petman, Mikko |  |  | 19 | Miettinen, Veeti |  |  | 20 | Lundell, Anton |  |  | 21 | Räty, Aku |  |  | 22 | Simontaival, Kasper |  |  | 24 | Tuomaala, Arttu |  |  | 25 | Heinola, Ville |  |  | 27 | Sedoff, Christoffer |  |  | 33 | Lahnaviik, Rasmus |  |  | 34 | Intonen, Aarne |  |  | 36 | Puistola, Patrik |  |  | 37 | Pärssinen, Juuso |  |  |  |  |  | 
						
							| FINLAND PENALTIES |  
							| Per. | No. | Min | Offence | Off | PP | PS | Start | On |  | 1st | 37 | 2:00 | Hooking | 7:53 | 1 |  | 7:53 | 9:53 |  | 1st | 20 | 2:00 | Slashing | 12:58 | 1 |  | 12:58 | 14:58 |  | 2nd | 2 | 2:00 | Delay of Game | 7:52 | 1 |  | 7:52 | 9:52 |  | 2nd | 3 | 2:00 | Late Hit | 13:25 | 1 |  | 13:25 | 15:25 |  | 2nd | 18 | 2:00 | Late Hit | 16:53 | 1 |  | 16:53 | 18:53 |  | 3rd | 20 | 2:00 | Boarding | 0:22 | 1 |  | 0:22 | 2:22 |  | 3rd | 20 | 10:00 | 10-Minute Misconduct | 2:22 |  |  | 2:22 | 11:13 |  | 3rd | 2 | 2:00 | Hooking | 11:13 | 1 |  | 11:13 | 13:13 |  | 3rd |  | 2:00 | Too Many Players | 13:25 | 1 |  | 13:25 | 15:25 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
						
							| UNITED STATES LINEUP |  
							| Pos | No. | Name |  | G | 1 | Mullahy, Derek |  | G | 30 | Wolf, Dustin |  |  | 2 | Davies, Dylan |  |  | 3 | Koster, Mike |  |  | 4 | Miller, Mitchell |  |  | 5 | Reid, Luke |  |  | 6 | Feenstra, Michael |  |  | 7 | Lacombe, Jackson |  |  | 8 | Colangelo, Sam |  |  | 9 | Farinacci, John |  |  | 10 | Groll, Josh |  |  | 11 | Kaliyev, Arthur |  |  | 12 | Huglen, Aaron |  |  | 14 | Jutting, Jackson |  |  | 15 | Paquette, Tyler |  |  | 16 | Mancinelli, Michael |  |  | 17 | Mastrosimone, Robert |  |  | 18 | Nodler, Josh |  |  | 19 | Robertson, Nicholas |  |  | 20 | Silianoff, Grant |  |  | 21 | Webber, Cade |  |  | 22 | Toporowski, Luke |  | 
						
							| UNITED STATES PENALTIES |  
							| Per. | No. | Min | Offence | Off | PP | PS | Start | On |  | 1st | 6 | 2:00 | Holding | 1:47 | 1 |  | 1:47 | 3:47 |  | 1st | 17 | 2:00 | Slashing | 7:43 | 1 |  | 7:43 | 9:43 |  | 1st | 8 | 2:00 | Hooking | 10:58 | 1 |  | 10:58 | 12:58 |  | 1st | 5 | 2:00 | High-Sticking | 12:18 | 1 |  | 12:18 | 14:18 |  | 1st | 21 |  | Tripping | 13:29 |  | * | 13:29 | 13:29 |  | 2nd | 2 | 2:00 | Interference | 4:38 | 1 |  | 4:38 | 4:59 |  | 2nd | 19 | 2:00 | Slashing | 11:25 | 1 |  | 11:25 | 13:25 |  | 3rd | 2 | 2:00 | Slashing | 17:03 | 1 |  | 17:03 | 19:03 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |