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USHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National U18 Team Upends Youngstown, 6-1

January 16, 2010 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa.) notched a pair of goals and two assists as the U.S. National Under-18 Team rolled past the Youngstown Phantoms, 6-1, here tonight at the Covelli Centre.

Saad helped the U.S. get off to a 1-0 lead in the first frame after he deked through the Phantoms defense and slid a pass to Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) who snapped the puck into the wide-open net from the left side of the crease at 13:29. Just 2:44 later, Michael Mersch (Park Ridge, Ill.) made it 2-0 after he deflected a Stephen Johns (Wampum, Pa.) right-point wrist shot past netminder Jordan Tibbett. Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev.) gave Team USA a three-goal advantage after his sharp-angle shot from below the right faceoff circle zipped past a down-and-out Tibbett with 58 seconds remaining in the period for a power-play marker.

In the second stanza, Team USA extended its lead to four goals after Saad streaked down the left wing and wired a shot into the upper-left corner at 16:07. Nick Shore (Denver, Colo.) picked up an assist on the play. Netminder John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) kept the Phantoms off the board through the first 40 minutes with 13 saves.

A pair of shorthanded goals just 19 seconds apart in the third period helped the U.S. ice the Phantoms. Saad skated down the left wing 2-on-1 and fed the puck to a late-breaking Shore who threaded it through Tibbett to make it 5-0 at 9:11. Jarred Tinordi (Millersville, Md.) then sprung Saad, who streaked down the left side, cut towards the net and slid a backhanded shot between Tibbett's legs at 9:30. Youngstown's Jefferson Dahl ruined Gibson's shutout bid with just 32 seconds remaining in regulation when he deflected the puck off his skate and in to account for the 6-1 final.

Gibson made 18 stops to earn the victory.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team returns to action on the road when it meets the University of Maine Saturday (Jan. 23) at 7 p.m. EST at Alfond Arena.

NOTES: After his four-point performance, Brandon Saad leads the U18s with 30 points this season including a team-best 19 assists. Saad played for the Phantoms organization during the 2008-09 season when it was called the Mahoning Valley Phantoms in the North American Hockey League... Nick Shore posted three points (1-2) tonight and now sits one shy of Saad with 29 (13-16)... Stephen Johns collected two assists on the night... John Gibson, who regularly plays with the U.S. National Under-17 Team, has won both of his two starts with the U.S. National Under-18 Team... Team USA out shot Youngstown by a 29-19 margin.

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