“I thought we got better as the game went on,” said U.S. head coach David Carle (Anchorage, Alaska/University of Denver). “And our goaltending was excellent. We have some things to work on, but it’s nice to get a win to start the tournament.”

The U.S. had a pair of power play opportunities in the first half of the opening frame and setup a series of scoring chances but was unable to convert.

At the five-minute mark in the first period, Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale, Ill./Boston College) nearly gave the U.S. the lead with a one-timer from the slot, but Norwegian goaltender Markus Stensrud moved across the crease for a sliding save.

Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass./Boston College) tried his hand to break the 0-0 stalemate late in the first but was denied by the blocker of Stensrud.

U.S. netminder Augustine had a busy first period, making 10 saves, including several good chances in the final five minutes.

Team USA killed a trio of penalties, including :16 of a 5-on-3 early in the second period, led by stellar net-minding from Augustine.

Jimmy Snuggerud (Chaska, Minn./University of Minnesota) put the U.S. on the board at the halfway point of the middle stanza. Seamus Casey (Fort Meyers, Fla./University of Michigan) sent a pass along the top of the Norwegian zone for Drew Fortescue (Pearl River, N.Y./Boston College), who found Snuggerud in the slot where he turned and netted a wrister for a 1-0 lead.

The U.S. went on the powerplay after Norway was tagged for roughing. With 9:59 gone in the middle stanza, Brindley banked a one-timer from the faceoff dot off a feed from Perreault that beat Stensrud stick side to expand the U.S. advantage to 2-0.

Brindley notched his second goal of the contest at 16:33 in the second period. Frank Nazar III (Mount Clemens, Mich./University of Michigan) battled the puck out of the corner for Brindley, who walked the puck out from the hashmarks and netted a top-shelf wrist shot.

Norway cut the U.S. lead to 3-1 with a shorthanded goal at 4:18 in the third frame after Petter Vesterheim beat Augustine on a breakaway.

The U.S. responded less than a minute later when Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis./University of Michigan) deflected a pass from Cutter Gauthier (Scottsdale, Ariz./Boston College) over the pad of Stensrud. Lane Hutson (North Barrington, Ill./Boston University) also drew an assist on the play.

Augustine made 21 saves to backstop Team USA’s 4-1 victory.

Team USA faces Switzerland Thursday (Dec. 28) at 5:00 p.m. local/11:00 a.m. ET at Frolundaborg in Gothenburg, Sweden, live on NHL Network.

NOTES: Gavin Brindley was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA outshot Norway, 44-23 … The U.S. was 2-5 on the power play, while Norway was 0-4 … A total of 10 different U.S. players recorded at least a point in the contest.

HIGHLIGHTS

GAME PHOTOS