ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Jon Merrill's (Brighton, Mich.) goal just 52 seconds into overtime propelled the U.S. National Under-18 Team to a 3-2 win over the Tri-City Storm here tonight. The U18s, combined with the U.S. National Under-17 Team, who earned a 3-1 victory Friday night, for a weekend sweep of the Storm.Tri-City drew first blood when Radislav Illo collected a rebound on the right side and fired a shot into the open goal just seven seconds into a Storm power play at 7:47.
Michael Mersch (Park Ridge, Ill.) knotted the score for Team USA after he took a pass from Luke Moffatt (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) and, while falling to his back, fired a slap shot past netminder Carsen Chubak from the left faceoff circle 6:45 into the second stanza. The U.S. took a 2-1 lead at 10:30 when Nick Shore (Denver, Colo.) found Kevin Clare (New Rochelle, N.Y.) who snapped a shot over Chubak's glove from the right point. Jaden Schwartz tied the game when he converted on a feed from Illo from point-blank range for a power-play goal with just 1:14 remaining in the period.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net during the third period, however, with just two seconds remaining in the frame, Tri-City was whistled for too-many men on the ice giving Team USA a power-play that would carry over into the extra frame.
At the 4:08 mark of overtime, Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn.) fed Merrill who one-timed a shot through a screen and Chubak to give the U.S. the 3-2 win.
Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) made 21 saves to earn the victory.
The U.S. National Under-18 Team is back in action Sunday against the Fargo Force at 3:05 p.m. EST at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.
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