USHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Nat'l U17 Team Bests Youngstown, 4-3

Published on December 12, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - In one of the wildest finishes of the season, the U.S. National Under-17 Team held on to top the Youngstown Phantoms, 4-3, here today at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) tallied with just 4:06 remaining in regulation, while the U.S. successfully killed two penalties in the closing 2:23 to earn the win and take three of a possible four points in the standings this weekend.

The first period ended in a scoreless tie as U.S. netminder Matt McNeely (Burnsville, Minn.) turned aside all 10 shots he saw in the opening 20 minutes.

Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) put Team USA on the board first with a power-play goal just 1:46 into the second stanza. The tally came after Grimaldi's shot deflected to Biggs who wired a wrister past Matt Mahalak from inside the left faceoff circle. Youngstown knotted the score when Nick Czinder knocked home his own rebound from the top of the crease at 16:07.

Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill.) made it 2-1 at 7:34 of the third frame after Grimaldi won the draw back to Russo who skated to the top of the point and wired a wrist shot into the top-left corner of the net for a power-play goal. With Team USA short two men after a five-minute major and additional two minute minor were called, Taylor Holstrom tallied at 12:31 to tie the score for the Phantoms. Just 29 seconds later, still shorthanded, J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) broke in two-on-one and found a streaking Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.) who snapped a shot past Mahalak from the right side to make it 3-2. While Team USA was still trying to kill the five-minute major, Jefferson Dahl tipped David Donnellan's point shot to tie the game for the third time. Just 35 seconds later, Reid Boucher's (Grand Ledge, Mich.) feed squirted to Grimaldi, who chipped a backhanded shot past a sprawling Mahalak to make it 4-3.

Despite taking the lead, the U.S. didn't have time to get comfortable as it was whistled for penalties twice in the closing 2:23 of regulation. Youngstown pulled Mahalak, giving the Phantoms a six-on-three advantage. Despite a furious effort by Youngstown in the closing minute, McNeely was equal to every challenge, including when he robbed Dahl with a blocker save with just 25 seconds remaining.

McNeely made 31 saves, including 14 during the third period to earn the win.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team is off until Dec. 28 when it meets Team Quebec at 7 p.m. EST in Kapuskasing, Ont., in a tune-up for the 2010 World Under-17 Challenge, which runs from Dec. 29, 2009 - Jan. 4, 2010 in Timmons, Ont.

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 12, 2009


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