NAHL U.S. National Team

Marquette Skates Past U.S. National Under-17 Team in Shootout

Published on November 24, 2007 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Despite a season-high five-point effort from Jeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.) and two-point performances from Nick Mattson (Chanhassen, Minn.) and Beau Schmitz (Howell, Mich.), the U.S. National Under-17 Team fell, 6-5, to the Marquette Rangers in a shootout Friday night at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

"I was very pleased with our effort tonight," said Ron Rolston, head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 Team. "We were a little short on players, but we certainly played well enough to win."

Team USA jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the power play at the 12:21 mark of the opening period when Morin put a wrist shot from the high slot through the legs of Marquette goaltender Beau Christian. Beau Schmitz (Howell, Mich.) picked up the lone assist on the goal.

Ryan Bourque (Boxford, Mass.) gave Team USA a two-goal cushion at 19:52 of the first stanza, thanks to a timely pass from Morin. While holding the puck to Christian's left, Morin slid a pass through the crease over to Bourque, who tipped the puck high over a sprawling Christian. Beau Schmitz chipped in the second assist on Bourque's tally, his second of the night.

Marquette's Derek Grogan recorded a power-play marker with eight seconds left in the first period to make it a one-goal game heading into the intermission.

The home team extended its lead to 3-1 just 31 seconds into the second stanza as David Valek (Orem, Utah) buried a rebound off a shot from Morin right in front of the Rangers' net. Netminder Adam Murray (Anchorage, Alaska) was credited with the second assist on the play, his first of the year.

Marquette responded with two goals later in the second period, however, as James Gallagher and Michael Thompson scored at 4:30 and 15:26, respectively.

Team USA regained the lead 15 seconds into the third period after Morin took an outlet pass from Mattson and beat Christian near the front of the net. William Wrenn (Anchorage, Alaska) also picked up his third assist of the campaign on Morin's goal.

Colin Saint-Onge tied the game again at the 6:39 mark for the Rangers.

Mattson notched his second point of the night with a goal off assists from Drew Shore (Denver, Colo.) and Morin at the 12:36 mark of the frame. Morin skated the puck up the ice on the left wing and made a quick pass to Shore near the front of the net. From there, Shore flipped the puck back to Mattson in the slot, and he unleashed a shot through traffic that Christian never saw cleanly.

Aaron Pietila used a power-play goal to tie the score up at five apiece for the visitors with 3:43 left in regulation.

After both teams were held scoreless in the overtime session, they began a best-of-five shootout. Marquette posted a 3-1 advantage in the shootout thanks to goals from James Gallagher, Nick Weight and Mike Macari. T.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) notched the lone marker for Team USA in the shootout.

Murray finished with 32 saves for Team USA, while Christian stopped 29 shots for the Rangers.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team (10-11-0) takes on Marquette again tomorrow night at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. The puck will drop at 7 p.m. ET.

NOTES: Jeremy Morin's five-point was a personal best, and he continues to lead Team USA with 27 points (18-9). Morin has recorded 20 points (13-7) in his last 11 games. Nick Mattson turned in his first multi-point game of the season ... Beau Schmitz notched his second consecutive multi-point effort. His six points (2-4) in the 2007-08 slate are tied for first in points among Team USA's defensive corps ... Tonight's attendance (482) was the highest total so far this year at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

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North American Hockey League Stories from November 24, 2007


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