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U.S. National Under-18 Team Tops No. 8 Michigan State, 5-4

October 19, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Behind four power-play goals tonight, the U.S. National Under-18 Team topped the No. 8 Michigan State Spartans, 5-4, at Munn Arena to earn its second win against a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I opponent this season.

The Spartans gained an early 2-0 advantage backed by a power-play goal from Justin Abdelkader, 5:56 into the game and even-strength tally 2:41 later from Bryan Lerg. Team USA struck back with 2:50 remaining in the opening frame when defenseman Teddy Ruth (Naperville, Ill.) one-timed a pass from fellow blueliner Cade Fairchild (Duluth, Minn.) to cut the Spartans lead to 2-1 at the end of the first period.

The turning point in the game came 5:11 into the second period when Abdelkader was whistled for a five-minute boarding penalty following a crushing hit on Team USA's Ryan Hayes (Syracuse, N.Y.). The U.S. National Under-18 Team was able to capitalize on the man advantage with three power-play goals in the five minute span.

Fifty-five seconds into the major penalty, Colin Wilson (Greenwich, Conn.) found Jimmy Hayes (Dorchester, Mass.) in front of the Spartans net and Hayes was able to deposit the pass past the MSU net minder Jeff Lerg to knot the game at 2-2. Mike Hoeffel (North Oaks, Minn.) gave Team USA the 3-2 lead 1:10 later when he gathered in a loose puck behind the Spartans net and tucked it inside the goal before Lerg was able to slide over to the goalpost. The U.S. lead stretched to two when Colby Cohen (Radnor, Pa.) found Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) on the backdoor with a pass and Rust was able to deflect the feed past Lerg 4:01 into the man advantage.

Former National Team Development Program forward Bryan Lerg cut the Team USA advantage back to one when he scored his second goal of the night, this one on the power play, with 2:29 left in the period. Justin Vaive (Buffalo, N.Y.) capped off the four-goal U.S. barrage with 55 seconds remaining in the second frame when he snapped a wrist shot from the top left circle over the shoulder of Lerg to give Team USA the 5-3 lead at the end of two periods.

The Spartans went on the attack in the final frame, but Team USA net minder Josh Unice (Toledo, Ohio) was up to the challenge turning away a handful of point blank chances from MSU, including a Bryan Lerg breakaway. Michigan State made it a one-goal game with 2:36 remaining when Tyler Howells was able to beat Unice with a slapshot from the right point. Following the goal the Spartans pulled Lerg for the extra attacker, but was unable to penetrate the stingy Team USA defense. Unice stopped 8-9 shots in the key final frame and 22-26 Spartans attempts in the game to earn his fourth win of the season.

"It is great to see the guys pull out a victory tonight against a tough college opponent after coming up just short in the last few outings," said U.S. Head Coach Ron Rolston (Fenton, Mich.). "Our guys battled hard and played for each other all 60 minutes. After putting out such a strong effort our guys deserved to win tonight."

NOTES: Rolston's U.S. National Under-18 Teams are 2-0-0 versus Michigan State, the other win coming on Jan. 28, 2005; in a 4-3 victory ... U.S. defenseman A.J. Sturges (Madison, Wis.) has verbally committed to play for Michigan State University next season. His brother Dan currently plays forward for the Spartans and his father John played at MSU from 1972-76 ... Ryan Hayes left the game following the second period due to the injury resulting from Abdelkader's hit, but is expected to play on Saturday night (Oct. 21) when the U.S. National Under-18 Team hosts the Mahoning Valley Phantoms of the North American Hockey League.

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