A furious pace of play dominated the first period with the Lions making repeated but uncontrolled attempts to score. The first goal went to the US team in the sixteenth minute with a strike through the Finnish defence into the net by Max Pacioretty.
A failed attempt to equalize by Jussi Jokinen culminated in a scuffle with three US players. Jokinen was sent to the penalty box as a result.
The second period opened with a relentless attack from the USA with a strike by Alex Goligoski in the second minute. Six minutes into the period and goalie Kari Lehtonen fended off an attack by Max Pacioretty. Despite the US offensive, the Lions fought back with a string of attempts at scoring an equaliser.
However, a goal by Kyle Palmieri just four minutes before the end of the period increased the US lead to 2-0. The Lions' closest moment to a goal in the period came a minute later when a strike by Mika Pyörälä hit the side of the net. But it was a one-off as the Finns desperately tried to gain the offensive without result. Nevertheless, the uphill struggle for Finland became even more daunting with a third goal for the US coming from Justin Faulk just two minutes before the end of the period.
There might have been light at the end of the tunnel for Finland at the start of the third period with a near miss at the net. Seconds later, though, the USA retaliated with a fourth goal struck by Chris Butler. The fifth goal came just a minute later when Bobby Ryan took the score to 5-0. Tempers boiled over five minutes into the period with a clash between Anssi Salmela and Goligoski. Salmela was sent off with a penalty as a result.
On Monday the International Ice Hockey Federation slapped him with a three-game ban for his violent boarding, which resulted in Goligoski hitting his upper body, head and face into the boards.
Finland's best attempt at a goal came five minutes before the end of the third period with a calculated attack by Jarkko Immonen but even this was foiled by John Howard.
The Lions face Kazakhstan at 8:15pm on Monday.
