BLAINE, Minn. - The U.S. National Under-18 Team topped Germany, 9-0, here tonight at the Schwan Super Rink in a pre-tournament game prior to the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship, April 9-19 in Fargo, N.D. and Moorhead, Minn. Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) tallied four points and Adam Murray (Anchorage, Alaska) stopped all 17 shots he faced to lead Team USA to victory.

Kenny Ryan (Franklin Village, Mich.) gave Team USA the early lead when he finished off a U.S. rush just 1:45 into the opening period. Nieto sent a cross-ice pass toJeremy Morin (Auburn, N.Y.), who roofed the puck over the stick of German goalie Dustin Haloschan for a power-play goal at 9:30, to give Team USA a 2-0 lead.

John Henrion (Holden, Mass.) fired a shot from the top of the left circle for a power-play tally at 2:21 of the middle stanza, before notching his second of the game just 1:21 later. After Nieto squeezed the puck inside the German post on a breakaway at 16:37, A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) scored on the power play just :34 later to give Team USA the six-goal advantage.

Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich.) opened the third period scoring with a power-play marker at 7:28. Just :33 later, Jason Zucker(Las Vegas, Nev.) circled the German net and wristed a shot off the turn. Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas) blasted a shot from the top of the right circle at 16:09 to account for the 9-0 final.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team returns to action Monday (April 6) when it faces Sweden in its final tune-up prior to departing for the World Championship.

In today's other match-up at the pre-tournament camp, Sweden killed all 11 Norwegian power plays to defeat Norway, 5-1.

Sweden led 2-1 after 20 minutes of play, before Calle Jarnkrok notched two markers in the second frame to give Sweden the three-goal advantage. Sweden tallied it's second shorthanded goal of the game in the period to account for the final.

NOTES: The 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship will take place at the newly constructed Urban Plains Center in Fargo and the recently renovated Moorhead Sports Center in Moorhead … Tickets for the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship are still available. For more information, visit 2009u18.com … The U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team has captured medals in the last five IIHF World Under-18 Championships. Team USA has captured the gold medal three times (2002, 2005, 2006).