CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) and Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) each scored, but five power-play goals helped the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defeat the U.S. National Under-17 Team, 7-2, here tonight.Cedar Rapids struck first when Bryce Aneloski blasted a slapshot over goaltender Matt McNeely's (Burnsville, Minn.) shoulder for a power-play tally at 9:53 of the opening stanza. Zach Lehrke added a power-play goal of his own after he collected a rebound and slammed it home from the left side of the cage at 13:32. With just 2:15 to play in the period, Grimaldi streaked into the RoughRiders' end down the left side and wired a shot past Troy Grosenick from inside the right faceoff circle to cut the deficit in half.
A quick goal from Cason Hohmann at 1:09 of the second frame put Cedar Rapids ahead, 3-1. Lehrke added his second power-play tally just 59 seconds later to make it 4-1. Haggerty narrowed the gap for Team USA after his wristshot from the high slot zipped past Grosenick at 12:50 for a power-play marker.
Despite McNeely's 15-save effort in the third period, Cedar Rapids found the back of the net three times. Aneloski scored twice on the power-play, while Jared Beers added a goal with just 2:21 to play to account for the 7-2 final.
McNeely logged 38 saves on the night.
The U.S. National Under-17 Team returns to action Thursday (Oct. 29) when it takes on the West Division-leading Omaha Lancers at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube at 7:05 p.m. CDT.
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