Eichel leads Team USA to OT win in WJC opener

BU freshman Jack Eichel assisted on Team USA’s only regulation goal and then scored in the shootout in a 2-1 win over defending champion Finland.  With the U.S. trailing, 1-0, Eichel drove behind the Finns net, passed to himself off the end boards to separate from a defender and backhanded a pass to Alex Tuch in the slot for the equalizer.

In the shootout, Eichel led off and the captain put Team USA ahead 1-0.  Chase DeLeo gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead and goalie Thatcher Demko stoned the final Finn shooter for a 2-1 final.

● USA Hockey recap and highlights  and Day 2 Notebook
●  Video highlights

● IIHF box score

● NHL.com recap

● SB Nation: game analysis

● Toronto Sun: Captain Eichel takes charge

Team USA’s second preliminary round opponent is Germany. Game time tonight at the Bell Centre is 8 p.m. ET.  The NHL Network and NHL.com will be airing the game.

● USA Hockey Game Day

► USHR reports that “Noble & Greenough F Miles Wood is the first New England prep school player in 19 years to play for the U.S. National Junior Team, while still enrolled in prep school. Before Wood, you have to go back to Cushing Academy D Tom Poti, who played on the ‘96 squad."  Poti (photo) would become an All-American at BU and play on the 1997 NCAA finalist team before beginning a long NHL career.

Looking ahead

2015 recruit Maxim Letunov extended his scoring streak to six games (17 of the last 19) with an assist in Youngstown’s 2-1 shootout win against Muskegon. With 34 points, Letunov is second in the USHL in scoring.

2015 recruit Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson scored the shootout game-winner for Omaha, which edged Lincoln, 2-1.

2016 recruit Kieffer Bellows (photo) scored his eighth goal of the season in Sioux Falls’ 3-2 shootout win against Fargo. The power forward from Edina, Minn., has an 8-5-13 scoring line.

2016 recruit Johnny McDermott was named to the all-star team of the recent Flood Marr Tournament. McDermott helped Westminster reach the tournament championship game, won by Salisbury.

Looking back—All-American edition

Colin Wilson scored a power play goal and added an empty netter in Nashville’s 4-1 win against the Flyers. The former Terrier All-American has four goals in the past three games and a 10-8-18 scoring line in 32 games.

● Recap and video highlights

Kevin Shattenkirk registered his 24^th assist of the season in the Blues’ 4-3 loss to Dallas. The former BU captain and All-American leads the NHL in power play points with 19.

A fluke bounce—off the glass and then off John Curry’s back—gave Winnipeg a 4-3 OT win against Minnesota last night . Curry had been recalled to the Wild from AHL Iowa on an emergency basis and made his first start of the season, stopping 19 shots.

●  Recap and highlights

The previous night, the former BU All-American goalie stopped 38 of 39 shots as Iowa nipped Rockford, 2-1.