SOCHI, Russia – J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill.) tallied one goal and added an assist, as the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team was edged by Russia, 4-3, here tonight at Bolshoy Ice Dome in its opening game at the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Men's World Championship. The tournament runs April 18-28 in Sochi, Russia.

"We faced a very tough opponent to start the tournament," said Don Granato, head coach of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. "We'll stay positive and move forward despite the loss. It's important to focus on getting better each game as we progress along."

Team USA tallied the first goal of the game at 2:34 of the first frame, when Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.) wristed a shot that beat Russian netminder Igor Shetyorkin far side. Compher and Anthony Louis (Winfield, Ill.) assisted on the power-play tally. On the second U.S. power play of the opening period, Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.) launched a shot into the net at 7:34. Hudson Fasching (Burnsville, Minn.) set Butcher up with a backhand pass from the slot. Russia countered nine seconds later to cut the U.S. lead in half.

Russia knotted the game with a power-play goal at 2:19 of the second stanza. It would prove to be the lone goal of the period and the teams entered the second intermission with two goals apiece.

The U.S. found itself down one at 1:33 of the third period when Russia lit the lamp. During a penalty kill, Compher found himself streaking toward the net and netted a short-handed marker to pull even with the Russians. Tyler Motte (St. Clair, Mich.) collected an assist on the goal. With less than two minutes remaining, Russia chipped the puck past Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif.). Team USA pulled Demko in favor of the extra attacker, but the gamble did not equate to a goal.

Demko turned aside 24 saves in the loss for Team USA, while Shetyorkin made 34 saves in the victory for Russia.

The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team continues tournament play on Saturday (April 20) against the Czech Republic at 3:30 p.m. local time (7:30 a.m. EDT), at the Bolshoy Ice Dome. The game will be streamed live on FASTHockey.com.

J.T. Compher was named Team USA's Player of the Game ... The U.S. outshot Russia, 37-28 ... Team USA finished 2-for-6 on the power play, while Russia went 1-for-5 with the man advantage ... Twenty-two players on the U.S. roster come from USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program ... The U.S. enters the tournament having captured a record nine consecutive medals, including back-to-back gold medals in 2005-06, four straight gold medals from 2009-12, two silver medals (2004, 2007) and one bronze medal (2008). Team USA’s seven gold medals are the most of any country in IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship history (event began in 1999). Team USA earned its first gold medal in 2002 … The U.S. is in Group A with the Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia and Russia. Group B consists of Canada, Germany, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.

Russia
Pavel Buchnevich (1 goal, 1 assist)

USA
J.T. Compher (1 goal, 1 assist)