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NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Nat'l U17 Team Drops Marquette, 4-3

January 31, 2009 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


MARQUETTE, Mich. - Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) scored twice and added an assist as the U.S. National Under-17 Team downed the Marquette Rangers, 4-3, here tonight.

In the opening stanza, Nieto put the U.S. ahead, 1-0, at the 5:00 mark when he collected a rebound, put the puck through traffic and into the back of the net. Just 22 seconds later, Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) collected a rebound in front and backhanded the puck into the wide open net. Marquette answered back with a goal from Chad Pietila at 10:52. Nieto made it 3-1 just 1:31 later after his shot from inside the left faceoff circle beat netminder Dan Sullivan.

Team USA extended its advantage to three goals on the power play after Emerson Etem (Long Beach, Calif.) drove hard to the net from the right corner and shoved the puck in front to Chase Balisy (Fullerton, Calif.) who slammed it home from the doorstep at 5:41 of the second period. U.S. netminder Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) stopped all seven shots he saw to keep it 4-1 after 40 minutes.

James Gallagher cut the deficit in half just 25 seconds into the third stanza, with a power-play tally. Marquette drew within a goal of Team USA with 4:10 remaining in regulation after Gallagher tipped Kevin Gravel's shot past Campbell. The Rangers were awarded a power play with just 1:41 remaining, but Team USA was able to hold them off to earn the 4-3 victory.

Campbell made 25 saves to earn his 14th victory of the season.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team next travels to Piestany, Slovakia, for the 2009 Vlad Dzurilla Under-18 Tournament, which runs from February 5-7. Team USA will meet under-18 squads from Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2009


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