Kieffer Bellows and Brady Tkachuk scored in the shootout as the United States beat Canada 4-3 on Friday in the first outdoor game in world junior hockey championship history.
Weather played a major factor in the game held at New Era Field, the home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, as a constant snowfall slowed down the pace of the game.
Scott Perunovich and Tkachuk scored in the third as the United States (2-1) rallied from a two-goal deficit, just as it did in last year's gold-medal game which the Americans eventually won in the shootout. Bellows had a second-period goal with Casey Mittelstadt earning three assists.
Cale Makar, Dillon Dube and Boris Katchouk helped Canada (2-1) build a 3-1 lead heading into the third period. Carter Hart made 32 saves in net for the Canadians.
Jake Oettinger stopped 19 shots for the Americans, who wore jerseys styled to look like the Bills uniforms.
American forward Logan Brown, an Ottawa Senators prospect, didn't dress. He left Thursday night's shocking 3-2 loss to Slovakia with a lower-body injury after apparently twisting his knee.
