NAHL U.S. National Team

Mahoning Valley Edges U.S. National Under-17 Team, 3-2

Published on October 13, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J.) netted his second consecutive multi-goal performance, but Mahoning Valley defeated the U.S. National Under-17 team by a score of 3-2 win at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube on Saturday night.

"Like last night, it was a physical, hard-fought game," said U.S. National Under-17 Coach Ron Rolston. "Mahoning Valley played with a lot of urgency tonight and they wanted it a little more than we did. We hung in there, but we are still need to become more consistent, and that will come."

Mahoning Valley opened up a 1-0 lead at the 7:41 mark of the opening frame when Scott Moser banged in a rebound off a Grant Blakey shot right in front of the net. Blakey's shot was initially saved by Team USA goaltender Brandon Maxwell (Winter Park, Fla.), but Moser corralled the puck off the rebound and slipped it into the back of the net.

The Phantoms struck again at 10:02 of the period as Miles Winter unleashed a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Maxwell on the stick side. Chad Boeckman and Adam Snead each picked up assists on the goal.

Team USA made it a one-goal game with 37 seconds in the stanza off an unassisted marker from Palmieri. After stealing the puck from a Mahoning Valley defender in the neutral zone, Palmieri skated up the right wing and wristed a shot from the right circle past netminder Jordan Tibbett low on the stick side.

The second period proved to be a physical, yet scoreless one, as the two teams combined to record 45 penalty minutes. Several players were ejected in the stanza, including two skaters for Team USA.

Beau Schmitz (Howell, Mich.) was whistled for a five-minute major and was ejected after taking a checking from behind penalty 2:45 into the middle frame. Tyler Amburgey (Rowlett, Texas) was ejected for fighting less than a minute later.

Additionally, while Team USA was on the penalty kill, Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and Jerry D'Amigo (Binghamton, N.Y.) were forced to the bench after they skated into each other in a huge collision. Both players remained on the ice for a few seconds, but eventually returned to game action.

Mahoning Valley was whistled for a penalty of its own later in its 5:00 power play, but Team USA held the Phantoms scoreless for three minutes before the teams skated at even strength.

Palmiero netted his second lamplighter of the night to give Team USA the equalizer at the 7:05 mark of the third session. The scoring sequence began in the neutral zone when Palmiero took a pass from Richie Crowley (Canton, Mass.) and skated over to the right circle. Palmiero then rifled a pin-point shot past Tibbett top-shelf on the glove side.

The visitors registerd the game-winning tally 57 seconds later with a power-play marker off the stick of Brent Dexter. After a puck was sent over from Chad Boeckman in the direction of the net, Dexter poked the puck the into the net while falling down in front. Eric Ringel earned the second assist on the tally.

Both teams had numerous scoring chances for the remainder of the contest, but Mahoning Valley held on to hold on for the victory.

Maxwell finished with 33 saves for Team USA, while Tibbett turned aside 21 shots for the Phantoms.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team (4-3) will now travel to Durham, N.H., for the Beantown Fall Classic to take on a pair of teams from the Eastern Junior Hockey League. Team USA will face the Boston Junior Bruins on Friday (Oct. 19) and the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs on Saturday (Oct. 20) with both games set for 1:15 p.m. ET.

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North American Hockey League Stories from October 13, 2007


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