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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National U17 Team Edged by CAN Pacific, 6-5 in OT

January 4, 2009 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


PORT ALBERNI, B.C. - The U.S. National Under-17 Team recorded five goals during a 10:23 span in the second period to overcome a 3-0 deficit, but fell to host Canada Pacific, 6-5, in overtime in the semifinal of the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge here tonight. Team USA will meet Canada West in the third-place game tomorrow at noon PT (3 p.m. ET).

Canada Pacific tallied goals 30 seconds apart to take a 2-0 advantage early in the first period. Then Brett Connolly made it 3-0 after he swept in front of the U.S. net and poked the puck past Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) at 7:57 of the second stanza.

Team USA then answered back with five consecutive goals to take a 5-3 lead. Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev.) opened the scoring at 8:22 of the middle frame after he converted on a feed from Emerson Etem (Long Beach, Calif.). At 11:47, Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) collected a rebound and slammed it past netminder Kent Simpson to bring Team USA within one. Michael Mersch (Park Ridge, Ill.) batted the puck out of mid air and into the net from the right post at 16:48 to knot the score. Just 34 seconds later, Zucker gave the U.S. a 4-3 advantage when he snuck a shot past Simpson from the right faceoff circle. With 1:12 remaining in the second, Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) tipped Frankie Simonelli's (Bensenville, Ill.) shot into the net. Canada Pacific got within one with a power-play goal from Austin Madaisky with just 43 seconds to play in the stanza.

Team USA held the 5-4 lead all the way until the 18:43 mark of the third frame. Max Reinhart netted the equalizer after he chipped a centering feed from Troy Rutkowski into the back of the net.

With both teams skating four-a-side in the extra period, the action went back and forth with each team recording three shots on goal. Canada Pacific put the puck in the U.S. zone and Jordan Weal sent a pass to Petrovic who blasted a shot from the left point that dinged off the crossbar and into the net at the 5:35 mark to seal the win for Pacific.

Campbell made 27 saves on the night.

NOTES: Jason Zucker was named Team USA PLayer of the Game for the third time in the tournament ... Nick Shore (Denver, Colo./5-4--9) and Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa./4-5--9) lead Team USA and are tied for third in the tournament with 9 points each ... The 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge features ten international teams including five Canadian regional teams (Ontario, Quebec, Pacific, West and Atlantic), Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia and the United States.

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