NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National U17 Team Upends Motor City, 7-2

Published on November 26, 2008 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


WYANDOTTE, Mich. - Frankie Simonelli (Bensenville, Ill.) recorded a goal and two assists, while Bryan Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) notched two goals to pace the U.S. National Under-17 Team as it defeated the Motor City Machine, 7-2, here tonight at Yack Arena.

Team USA jumped out to a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. Stuart Higgins (Troy, Mich.) notched the game's first goal on the power play after he fired a wrist shot from the righ faceoff circle that beat netminder Joe Rogers over the right shoulder at 10:02. Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) doubled the U.S. advantage after he collected a rebound in front of the net and slid it past Rogers from the left side. Team USA made it 3-0 after Frankie Simonelli (Bensenville, Ill.) fired a slapshot from the right point. With just four seconds remaining in the first stanza, Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) found a streaking Emerson Etem (Long Beach, Calif.) who beat the Machine defenseman and slid the puck between the netminder's legs.

Motor City struck back with a goal at 3:02 of the second frame when Alec Theda's shot from the left point beat goaltender Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.). Just 57 seconds later, Team USA made it 5-1 after Luke Moffatt's (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) shot from the left side found the back of the net. Bryan Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) added a tally of his own at 16:37 after he converted on a rebound off of an Adam Clendening (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) shot.

In the final frame, Ryan Misiak tallied for Motor City and Rust added his second goal to account for the 7-2 final.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team returns to action on December 5 as it travels to Marquette, Mich., to take on North American Hockey League foe Marquette Rangers at 7:30 ET.

NOTES: The U.S. National Under-17 Team improved to 4-0 against Motor City in 2008-09 ... Team USA out shot the Machine by a 33-12 margin ... Matthew Nieto and Jacob Fallon (Southlake, Texas) each recorded two assists ... Emerson Etem, Luke Moffatt and Stuart Higgins each posted a goal and an assist.

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North American Hockey League Stories from November 26, 2008


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