NAHL U.S. National Team

U.S. U17 Team Blanks Motor City, 8-0

Published on February 15, 2009 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
U.S. National Team News Release


WYANDOTTE, Mich. - Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) picked up his fourth shutout of the season, while making 24 saves as the U.S. National Under-17 Team rolled past the Motor City Machine, 8-0, here tonight.

Just 1:59 into the game, Frankie Simonelli (Bensenville, Ill.) put Team USA ahead, 1-0, after he took Michael Mersch's (Park Ridge, Ill.) feed off of the faceoff and put a shot off the left post and behind netminder Joe Moore. Stephen Johns (Wampum, Pa.) doubled the U.S. advantage after his shot from just below the right faceoff circle glanced off Moore and into the net at 4:33. Chase Balisy (Fullerton, Calif.) added a power-play tally at 12:18 to make it 3-0 after he converted on Justin Faulk's (South St. Paul, Minn.) rebound from the right side. At 17:14, Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) put Team USA ahead, 4-0, when he snapped a shot from between the faceoff circles into the left corner, sending Moore's water bottle skyward.

In the second stanza, Mersch snapped a wrister past new netminder Matthew Delaney at 13:23. Luke Moffatt (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) made it 6-0 with just 13 seconds left after collecting a rebound in front and firing it home.

Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) and Mersch each added goals in the third period to account for the 8-0 final.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team returns to action on Friday against the Alpena IceDiggers at 7 p.m. ET on Friday (February 20) at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

NOTES: Team USA is unbeaten against the Machine in six games ... Team USA out shot Motor City by a 51-24 margin ... Michael Mersch led Team USA with four points tonight ... The U.S. converted on four of eight power-play opportunities (50%).

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North American Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2009


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