Fasching continues strong WJC campaign

Hudson Fasching scored the opening goal in the United States’ 8-0 rout of Germany in Group A play at the World Junior Championships in Malmo, Sweden on Sunday. With the win, the United States improved to 3-0-0 in pool play and secured a spot in the playoff round in advance of its New Year’s Eve clash with Canada.

Though Notre Dame’s Vince Hinostroza potted two goals as part of a four point effort, Fasching was named the United States’ Player of the Game.

Fasching opened the scoring by receiving a pass upon entering Germany’s zone and firing a quick wristshot past screened goaltender Patrick Klein. The goal highlighted the versatility of Fasching, who is developing an identity as a strong-on-the-puck power forward who drives the net and has good hands.

The development of his goal comes 38 seconds into the IIHF’s highlight package:

Chris Peters writes player evaluations at The United States of Hockey, and once again came away impressed with Fasching, who was selected by Los Angeles in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL Draft.

Said Peters:
Hudson Fasching — Named Team USA’s player of the game having scored the first goal, Fasching was a dominant force on many, if not all of his shifts. He is so hard to take off the puck and does a great job down low. From the faceoff dots down in the offensive zone, the U.S. doesn’t have a guy who has been better than Fasching there. It’s an important area and will be even more important against Canada.

Through three games, the 18-year-old has two goals, three points and a plus-3 rating. Though pool play against overmatched opponents represents too small of a sample size for the evaluation of a player to profoundly evolve, it is becoming clearer that the Kings may have found very good value in Fasching, who has six goals and 14 points in 16 games as a freshman at the University of Minnesota. He’ll be eligible to participate in next year’s tournament as well.

Forward prospect Valentin Zykov has played in Russia’s first two games of the tournament, a pair of wins over Norway and Switzerland by a combined score of 18-1. Selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, the 18-year-old has been held without a point and is yet to record a shot in advance of Russia’s games against Finland and Sweden on the 30th and 31st.

More coverage of Sunday’s United States win, courtesy of USA Hockey:

USA tops Germany, 8-0; stays undefeated
Team USA continues to spread the wealth

Bill Wippert / National Hockey League

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