USHL U.S. National Team

U.S. National Under-18 Team Downs Tri-City, 3-2, in Shootout

Published on December 5, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


KEARNEY, Neb. - Bryan Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) notched two points in regulation and scored during the shootout as the U.S. National Under-18 Team dropped the Tri-City Storm, 3-2, here today at the Viaero Events Center. Netminder Andy Iles (Ithaca, N.Y.) made four saves in overtime and thwarted three of Tri-City's four shooters in the shootout to help Team USA earn the win.

Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) staked the U.S. to a 1-0 lead at 9:38 of the first frame with a power-play goal. The tally came after Bill Arnold (Needham, Mass.) fed Rust who slipped the puck to Nieto as he popped into the slot. Nieto one-timed the feed off the cross bar and in to give Team USA its first lead.

After a scoreless second period, Brett Mohler knotted the score for the Storm just 1:48 into the third stanza. Rust put Team USA ahead, 2-1, at 7:33, after he took a feed from Nieto, faked a shot, then deked to his backhand and slipped the puck past Carsen Chubak. At 11:07, Jaden Schwartz put the puck past Iles to tie the score. Neither team was able to find the go-ahead goal before the end of regulation, sending the game into an extra frame.

After the overtime period ended without a winner, the contest was decided in the shootout. Chubak stopped Team USA's first shooter before Maxwell Tardy bested Iles to give the Storm the 1-0 shootout lead. Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn.) answered back on Team USA's very next attempt to make it 1-1. Iles stoned Mohler on Tri-City's second attempt, while Nieto was thwarted on the U.S.'s third try. Iles then robbed Schwartz with a blocker save, setting the stage for Rust to give Team USA its first advantage of the shootout. Rust skated in, deked to his backhand and put the puck off the post and past Chubak to make it 2-1. Tri-City's fourth shooter, Tucker Long missed the net on his attempt to give Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev.) the opportunity to seal the win for Team USA. Zucker skated in on Chubak and snapped a shot under the Storm netminder's blocker to give the U.S. the 3-2 win.

Iles made 20 saves in regulation to earn his eighth victory of the year.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team returns to its NCAA Division I schedule when it travels to take on Union College of ECAC Hockey Friday (Dec. 11) at 7 p.m. EST.

NOTES: Matthew Nieto's two points today tie him with Jason Zucker for the overall team lead with 19. Nieto has registered nine goals and 10 assists, while Zucker has 10 tallies and nine helpers... Along with Nieto, Bill Arnold entered double-digits in assists, with his ninth and 10th today... Bryan Rust notched his 10th goal of the season, tying him with Zucker for second on the team... Team USA out shot the Storm by a 33-22 margin... Nieto led the way for the U.S. with three points over the two-game Nebraska road trip... The U.S. National Under-18 Team earned the season sweep of Tri-City, winning both of its games against the USHL West Division foe. Team USA downed the Storm, 3-2, in overtime on Nov. 21 in the first meeting between the two squads.

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 5, 2009


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