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NAHL U.S. National Team

Schroeder's Hat Trick Leads U.S. National Under-18 Team to Win Over Finland

November 10, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


DMITROV, Russia - Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, Minn.) netted three goals and two assists, and provided the game-winner at the 3:10 mark of overtime to help launch the U.S. National Under-18 Team past Finland, 6-5, in the second day of the 2007 Four Nations Tournament Saturday afternoon.

"It wasn't easy, but we won on mental toughness, conditioning and team camaraderie," said John Hynes, head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team.

Schroeder put Team USA ahead by a count of 1-0 just over four minutes into the game with an unassisted goal. After gaining possession of the puck off the faceoff, Schroeder skated the length of the ice near the left wall and eventually beat the Finnish goalie with a wrist shot.

Finland tallied back-to-back goals at 6:31 and 8:41of the first period off a pair of markers from Pekka Jormakka. The second goal came with a man advantage.

Team USA evened the score at 2-2 midway through the frame as Colin Moore (Medfield, Mass.) lit up the scoreboard on the power play. Schroeder found Moore with a pass in the seam, and Moore then put a shot into the back of the net. Vinny Saponari (Powder Springs, Ga.) added the second assist on the play.

Saku Salmela gave Finland a 3-2 advantage with 1:48 left in the first session.

Nick Maricic (Alta Loma, Calif.) was pulled out of the Team USA net in favor of Joe Cannata (Wakefield, Mass.) during the first intermission.

Toni Rajala pushed Finland's lead to 4-2 with a goal at 10:44 of the second period.

Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored Team USA's third goal at 19:19 of the second stanza, courtesy of a helper from Schroeder. After receiving a pass from Schroeder by the left wall, Kristo skated over to the right circle and beat the Finnish goaltender with a snap shot up high on the blocker side.

Team USA struck again 23 seconds into the third frame when Schroeder scored with a shot from the slot that ended up high in the net on the glove side of Finland's netminder. Patrick Gaul (Pittsburgh, Pa.) earned the first assist after creating a turnover and directing a pass ahead to Schroeder near the Finnish offensive zone. Saponari was also credited with a helper, his second of the day.

Saponari put the U.S. National Under-17 Team back in front 1:21 later with a power-play goal. David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass.) set up a perfect one-time pass on the backdoor that Saponari converted

With 5:05 to go in regulation, Teemu Hartikainen scored the equalizer for Finland on the power play.

The scoring sequence for the game-winner began near center ice, where Danny Kristo unloaded on a Finnish defender. The hit forced a turnover, and Kristo and Joe Marciano (Alta Loma, Calif.) teamed up to move the puck ahead to Schroeder. Schroeder went around several Finnish defensemen and then slipped a backhander up high on the netminder's blocker side to seal the victory.

Cannata picked up the win in goal for Team US after playing in the final two periods of regulation, and the overtime session.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team will play Switzerland in its final game of the 2007 Four Nations Tournament tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. local time and 11:30 a.m. ET.

NOTES: Team USA is 1-1-0 at the 2007 Four Nations Tournament ... Sweden is 2-0-0, Finland is 1-1-0 and Switzerland is 0-2-0 ... Finland and Sweden play in the other game at the Four Nations Tournament tomorrow ... Jordan Schroeder's five-point performance was a season high. He has moved into first place on the team with 14 points (6-8) ... Vinny Saponari's three-point game was a season best. He ranks second on the squad with 13 points (5-8--13) ... The number of shots taken by both teams was not available at the time of this release.

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North American Hockey League Stories from November 10, 2007


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