TRNAVA, Slovakia - Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) notched three points (1-2) and Seth Ambroz (New Prague, Minn.) scored twice as the U.S. National Under-17 Team rolled past Switzerland, 8-2, here today. Team USA captured first place at the 2009 Under-17 Four Nations Cup with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record.
"Obviously this was a great way to end the tournament," said Ron Rolston, head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 Team. "We definitely played our best game today. It's always great to win a championship. We'll look to build off of this week and take this momentum into our USHL competition when we get back."
Ambroz opened the scoring just 1:16 into the contest when he tipped Barrett Kaib's (Upper St. Clair, Pa.) point shot past netminder Patrick Bonvin. After being hauled down one a breakaway at 6:35, Grimaldi was awarded a penalty shot. Grimaldi skated in on Bonvin, deked to open up the five hole and slipped the puck through to double the U.S. lead. Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.) converted on a rebound chance from the right side at 15:16 to make it 3-0. Sven Andrighetto notched a power-play goal at 17:14 to get the Swiss on the board.
It was all Team USA in the second stanza, as it got four goals from four different players. Just 1:35 into the period, Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.) took a stretch pass from Jake McCabe (Eau Claire, Wis.), skated in on a breakaway, deked to his backhand and roofed the puck just under the crossbar to make it 4-1. Just 2:19 later, Michael Paliotta's (Westport, Conn.) feed sent J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) on a breakaway and Miller slipped the puck under new netminder Luca Boltshauser to give the U.S. a four-goal advantage. At 16:16, Miller took a shot that hit both the post and crossbar before bouncing to Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) who tapped it home to make it 6-1. Just 44 seconds later, Grimaldi won a draw back to Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) who snapped it past Boltshauser to give Team USA a 7-1 lead. U.S. goaltender Matt McNeely (Burnsville, Minn.) stopped all nine shots he saw in the stanza to keep Switzerland at a distance.
Robin Leone scored 1:28 into the final frame for Switzerland and Ambroz tallied a power-play marker at 16:45 to account for the 8-2 final.
McNeely made 23 stops to earn his second win of the tournament.
NOTES: Rocco Grimaldi, named Team USA's Player of the Game today, was also named the tournament's best forward... Team USA out shot Switzerland by a 55-25 margin... The U.S. outscored its opponents 20-10 in the tournament... Seth Ambroz (5-0--5), Blake Pietila (3-2--5) and J.T. Miller (2-3--5) led Team USA with five points each... Michael Paliotta (1-2--3) and Matt Van Voorhis (Edina, Minn./1-2--3) led U.S. blueliners with three points each... Matt McNeely posted a 2.00 goals-against average and.918 save percentage... In each of the last four international events he has coached at, Ron Rolston has guided Team USA to the tournament title... The U.S. National Under-17 Team is one of five U.S. teams competing during the International Ice Hockey Federation's November international break. To keep up with all of the U.S. teams in action this week, visit usahockey.com.
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