USHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-17 Team Blanks Canada-Atlantic, 7-0

Published on December 29, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


TIMMINS, Ont. - Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif./1-2--3) and J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio/1-2--3) each posted three points, while Matt McNeely (Burnsville, Minn.) turned aside all 24 shots he faced as the U.S. National Under-17 Team blanked Canada-Atlantic, 7-0, here today in its first game at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Tyler Biggs (Cincinnati, Ohio) staked Team USA to a 1-0 lead at 12:12 mark of the first period after he took a feed from Miller and slid a backhanded shot into the wide-open net from the middle slot. The tally came just 3:00 after a dazzling pad save from McNeely, who had to sprawl from the right to left post to thwart the Atlantic attempt. McNeely stopped all 10 shots he saw in the opening stanza.

Team USA doubled its advantage just 23 seconds into the middle frame after a great effort by Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor, Calif.) who collected the puck in the right corner, skated around to the tops of the faceoff circles and rifled a slap shot under netminder Robert Steeves. Grimaldi also figured on Team USA's next goal when he sent a cross-ice feed to Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill.) who buried the puck into the open goal from the right side for a power-play marker. The U.S. made it 4-0 after Miller streaked through the Atlantic defense, faked a shot, slid the puck to his backhand and put it past a stunned Steeves with just 1:13 to play in the frame.

Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn.) made it 5-0 just 47 seconds into the final stanza after his slap shot from inside the right faceoff circle zipped past Steeves for a power-play tally. At the 5:12 mark, Blake Pietila (Brighton, Mich.) roofed a backhander into the right corner to put Team USA ahead by six. Jordan Schmaltz (Madison, Wis.) put the exclamation point on the game as his wrist shot from the left point slipped through Steeves as time expired to account for the 7-0 final.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team returns to action Wednesday against the Czech Republic in New Liskeard, Ont., at 7 p.m. EST.

NOTES: Rocco Grimaldi was named Team USA's player of the game... Tyler Biggs (1-1--2), Travis Boyd (1-1--2) and Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn./0-2--2) each notched two points... The U.S. out shot Atlantic by a 32-24 margin... Team USA converted on three of its six power plays (50%)... The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the premier event for the under-17 age group, runs from Dec. 29, 2009 - Jan. 4, 2010 in Timmins, Ont. In addition to the United States, the event includes five Canadian regional teams (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Pacific and West), as well as national teams from the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden. Team USA has won the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge twice (2001, 2002) and has placed in each of the last two years (second, 2008; third, 2009)... Team USA's game against Russia on Dec. 31 will be carried live on FASTHockey.com., which will also carry both of the tournament's semifinal games Jan. 3.

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 29, 2009


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