NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. Nat'l Under-18 Team Completes Sweep of Marquette

Published on March 22, 2008 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Kevin McCarey (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) notched his second consecutive two-goal effort and Patrick Gaul (Pittsburgh, Pa.) recorded three assists to lead the U.S. National Under-18 Team to a 4-1 victory against the Marquette Rangers Saturday night at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

"It was certainly a great way to close the regular season," said John Hynes, head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. "We received a focused effort, and accomplished our goal of helping the U.S. National Under-17 Team secure a playoff berth."

Team USA scored two power-play goals in the opening period - one at 13:34 and another at 18:50. McCarey started the scoring with a tally off assists from Ryan Hegarty (Arlington, Mass.) and Sam Lofquist (Faribault, Minn.). Hegarty took a shot from the point that McCarey was able poke through the legs of Marquette goalie Beau Christian.

Kyle Palmieri (Montvale, N.J.) added what proved to be the game-winning score with a blast from the point that beat Christian in the five hole. Gaul and Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) each assisted on the play.

The home team poured in two more goals in the middle stanza as Justin Florek (Marquette, Mich.) tallied at 3:35 and McCarey struck at 10:50. Florek banged in a shot from right in front of the Marquette net, thanks to helpers from McCarey and Gaul. McCarey then unleashed a pin-point shot from the right point that glazed the right post and dropped into the back of the net. Gaul provided the lone assist on the goal.

Marquette broke up Team USA's shutout bid at the 13:18 mark of the second period with a power-play tally off the stick of Mike Macari. Macari took a wrist shot from the left point that beat Team USA goaltender Joe Cannata (Wakefield, Mass.) on the stick side.

Neither team would light up the scoreboard again, but the Rangers pulled Christian before the start of a power play with 2:48 remaining in regulation.

Christian finished with 37 saves for the Rangers, while Cannata stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced in the triumph for Team USA.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team (27-20-2-4) now travels to Kazan, Russia, where it will compete in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship April 13-23.

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2008


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