USHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Nat'l U18 Team Downs Sioux Falls, 4-2

Published on January 1, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) scored twice, including the game-tying goal, while Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) notched the game-winner with 3:59 remaining in regulation as the U.S. National Under-18 Team came back to defeat the Sioux Falls Stampede, 4-2, here tonight.

Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa.) staked the U.S. to a 1-0 lead with 3:47 remaining in the opening stanza after converting on a Michael Vilardo (Geneva, Ill.) feed. Netminder Colin Stevens (Niskayuna, N.Y.) stopped all five shots he faced to keep Team USA ahead after the first 20 minutes.

Despite a 14-save performance from Stevens, the U.S. found itself trailing 2-1 after the second period. Michael Voran knotted the score for the Stampede at 14:51. Sam Coatta gave Sioux Falls the lead with just 1:45 to play in the middle stanza.

In the final frame, Andy Iles (Ithaca, N.Y.) replaced Stevens in goal for Team USA. Nieto knotted the score just 47 seconds into the third period after taking a feed from Chase Balisy (Fullerton, Calif.) and putting the puck past Lino Chimienti. Czarnik tallied an unassisted goal at 16:01 to make it 3-2, while Nieto sealed the game with a shorthanded, empty-net marker with just 28 seconds to play. Iles turned aside all 19 shots he faced in the closing period to preserve the win.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team will return to its NCAA Division I schedule Monday when it meets Michigan State University, of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, at 7:05 p.m. EST at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mich.

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United States Hockey League Stories from January 1, 2010


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