NAHL U.S. National Team

Lucky number seven

Published on September 26, 2004 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) U-18 team defeated the Soo Kewadin Casino Indians, 7-4 in a Sunday, September 26, 2004 matinee to push their record to five wins against no defeats, continue their average of seven goals scored per game and give the NTDP (U-17 and U-18 combined) an unblemished seven and zero mark.

The U-18 team, which had beaten the Cleveland Barons in Strongsville, Ohio, the previous night, 4-3 on a Chris Cahill (North Andover, Mass.) overtime score, used a balanced attack against the Indians as Justin Mercier (Erie, Pa.) tallied three points including his first two goals as a member of the NTDP.

Mercier scored his first of the year as he banged home a rebound from the slot off a Phil Kessel (Madison, Wisc.) shot. His second goal came from proper positioning in front of Soo Indians netminder Craig Vardy (Leesburg, Va.) as he tipped one into the visitors goal.

Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn.) was the first, of what would be eleven players, to earn at least a point in the scoring column for the U.S., as he tallied an even strength marker at 2:47 of the first period. With the score knotted at one apiece after Indians forward Joe Beaudry (Marquette, Mich.) tallied at 16:27 of the first period, U.S. defenseman Brandon Gentile (Clarkston, Mich.), notching his first, and Jack Skille (Madison, Wisc.) recording his third each lit the lamp in the final 2:49 of the first period.

After trading goals in the middle session, Jason Lawrence (Saugus, Mass.) scored his fourth of the season and the eventual game winning goal just :37 into the final stanza.

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North American Hockey League Stories from September 26, 2004


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