GERMAN COMEBACK STUNS AMERICANS

CAMROSE, AB – The upsets continue at the 2008 World Junior A Challenge.

Conor Morrison, who was born in London, ON but grew up in Germany, scored the game-winning goal four minutes into the third period as the Germans shocked the United States 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Germany spotted the Americans a 2-0 lead early in the second period before rattling off five unanswered goals and upsetting one of the pre-tournament favourites in the second surprising result in three days – Belarus upset Canada West 4-3 in a shootout on Sunday in the tournament opener.

The last team to make its tournament debut, the United States came out firing, outshooting Germany 13-9 and taking a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes on a goal by Mike Cichy.

David Gerths increased the lead to two early in the second period, batting the puck past German netminder Markus Keller from the seat of his pants with the Americans on the powerplay, but that would be the last puck to beat Keller, who earned Player of the Game honours after a 35-save performance.

Toni Ritter got the German comeback started just 71 seconds after Gerths’ goal, picking up a rebound on the halfboards and blasting a slap shot shortside on American goaltender Joe Howe, and Alexander Oblinger pulled the Europeans even before the period was out, finishing off a two-on-one with Patrick Pohl with 48 seconds to go in the frame.

Oblinger’s goal means he is the second player to score at all three World Junior A Challenges, joining teammate David Wolf, who became the first in Germany’s opening game against Canada East on Monday night.

With the Americans applying early pressure in the opening minutes of the third period Morrison scored against the flow of play, knocking the puck past Howe after a scramble in the American crease.

Pohl made it a two-goal game on a German powerplay four minutes later and Daniel Oppolzer rounded out the scoring late, converting on a two-on-one with just 1:24 to go.

The result leaves Group B wide open, with the United States set to meet Canada East in Wednesday’s lone game (8 p.m. MST) to wind up the preliminary round. A win by the Americans would leave all three teams at 1-1, and leave it up to tiebreakers to decide who gets the bye into Saturday’s semifinal.