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WATCH: Kieffer Gets Creative, Scores His First of Tournament

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2 years ago

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Kieffer Bellows

On Friday, New York Islanders forward Kieffer Bellows and Team USA started the IIHF World Championships with a 4-1 victory over Latvia. Bellows notched a primary assist on USA’s opening tally of that contest, which got the offense going.

Kieffer Bellows and the Red, White, and Blue were back in action on Sunday as they faced Austria, who had lost to Sweden 4-1 on Saturday. Just like Bellows did in game one, he skated on the third line alongside Ben Meyers (Colorado Avalanche) and Riley Barber (Detroit Red Wings).

Despite outplaying Austria in the first period, outshooting them 11-6,  Team USA found themselves down 1-0 after twenty minutes of play in the first. Again Team USA took it to Austria in the second period but found themselves down 2-0 with under five minutes to play in the second.

That’s when Kieffer Bellows said, “Hold my beer”. It was probably a Gatorade, but you get the gist.

17 seconds after Austria doubled their lead, Kieffer Bellows got Team USA on the board with a strong individual play.

After Ben Meyers won a puck battle in the right corner of Austria’s zone, Bellows picked up the loose puck before he skated behind Austrian netminder David Kickert.

And then came deception.

The 23-year-old Bellows kept his head up the entire time as he moved laterally behind the Austrian net, which got Austria believing that he was looking to dish the puck to one of his teammates in the slot. But both of his teammates were tired up.

Bellows, as he moved his feet, quickly realized that the goaltender, Kickert, failed to track him effectively, and he knew that he could beat the netminder to the right post.

And Bellows executed as he kept to the side of the net before banking the shot in for his first of the tournament.

Here’s another angle on the goal.

Bellows’s goal was critical as Team USA eventually went on to tie the contest in the third period before ultimately willing in overtime on a Quinn Hughes (New Jersey Devils) goal.

Through two games played at the tournament, Kieffer Bellows has a goal and an assist, with both points kickstarting Team USA’s offense. In the win over Austria, Bellows recorded four shots in 15:36 minutes in regulation. He played 57 seconds in the overtime frame.

Team USA’s third game of the contest is Monday at 1:20 PM ET against the host of the tournament, Team Finland (2-0-0-0).

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