USHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Under-18 Select Team Tops Finland, 5-2, at Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament

Published on August 11, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


BRECLAV, Czech Republic - The U.S. Under-18 Select Team defeated Finland, 5-2, here today in its final preliminary-round game of the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. With the victory, the U.S. captured the top seed in Group A and advanced to a semifinal match-up against Sweden on Friday (Aug. 13).

Ten different players factored in the scoring for Team USA and goalie Steve Michalek (Glastonbury, Conn.) made 28 saves in the win over Finland.

"Everyone contributed to the win today," said Tim Army, head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Select Team. "As the game went on, we played extremely well, and our penalty kill and power play were both outstanding."

Finland took a 1-0 lead just 1:13 into the game, but Justin Selman (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) tied the game four minutes later. Vincent Trocheck (Birmingham, Mich.) slipped the puck to Selman, who fired a wrist shot over Finland goalie Richard Ullberg's blocker.

Tanner Sorenson (Anchorage, Alaska) gave Team USA a 2-1 advantage at the 8:03 mark of the second period, tapping in a loose puck laying in the crease. Less than two minutes later, the U.S. extended its lead to 3-1 with a four-on-three power-play goal. Connor Murphy (Dublin, Ohio) chipped the puck to John Gaudreau (Carney's Point, N.J.), creating a three-on-two rush. Gaudreau fired a hard wrist shot from the high slot that beat Ullberg low on the stick side.

Team USA capitalized on another power-play opportunity just 1:43 into the third period, when Cason Hohmann (Plymouth, Mich.) skated from below the goal line and tucked the puck in the net.

Finland cut the U.S. lead to 4-2, but Sean Kuraly (Dublin, Ohio) sealed the victory for the U.S. with an empty-net goal.

The U.S. advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) preliminary-round record. A full schedule and results are below.

NOTES: Time and location for the semifinal game will become available following today's (Aug. 11) final preliminary-round game between Russia and the Czech Republic ... Steve Michalek was named the U.S. player of the game ... Cason Hohmann leads Team USA with five points (3-2) ... The 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament features eight countries in two groups. Group A (Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, United States) is playing its preliminary-round games in Breclav, Czech Republic, while Group B (Canada, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland) is playing its preliminary-round games in Piestany, Slovakia ... Live scoring of Team USA's games can be found here ... The U.S. has finished in the top three of the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament nine times since the tournament's inception in 1991, including a first place finish in 2003. The U.S. finished second in the tournament six times (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2006) and finished third twice (1991, 1995) ... The 22 players on the 2010 U.S. Under-18 Select Team represent 13 states, with three players coming from Ohio ... Six of the players were members of the 2009 U.S. Under-17 Select Team that competed at the 2009 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Fussen, Germany, including goaltender Jay Williams (McLean, Va.); forwards Cason Hohmann, Alex Racino (Merrill, Wis.) and Lukas Sutter (Whitefish, Mont.); and defensemen Brian Cooper (Anchorage, Alaska) and Connor Murphy ... Five members of the U.S. Under-18 Select Team competed in the United States Hockey League in 2009-10, including forwards Seth Ambroz (New Prague, Minn./Omaha Lancers), Theo Di Pauli (Woodridge, Ill./Chicago Steel) and Hohmann (Cedar Rapids Roughriders), as well as defensemen Cooper (Fargo Force) and Murphy (U.S. National Under-17 Team). The USHL is the only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States ... For Team USA's full roster, click here ... The 2010 U.S. Under-18 Select Team is coached by Tim Army, head men's ice hockey coach at Providence College. Army has twice served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men's National Team (1994, 1996), and was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey ... Jay Varady, associate head coach with the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips, and Chadd Cassidy, assistant coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, are the assistant coaches ... Army, Varady and Cassidy are all Level 4 USA Hockey certified coaches ... The U.S. Under-18 Select Team was selected following the annual USA Hockey Boys' Select 17 Player Development Camp that took place July 7-13, at The Sports Centre at MCC in Rochester, N.Y. The camp provides top young players with concentrated on- and off-ice training and instruction, as well as the opportunity to compete at a national level against other players from their age group.

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United States Hockey League Stories from August 11, 2010


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