ORNSKOLDSVIK, Sweden – Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) and Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) each scored four goals in the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team’s 12-5 victory over Slovakia in its second preliminary round game at the 2019 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship Friday (April 19) at 9:30 a.m. ET at Fjallraven Center.
“We’re really happy with how we played on short rest,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.) head coach of the Under-18 Men’s National Team. “We will take the lessons we learned today and use them in preparation for our game against Russia.”
With four goals apiece, Caufield and Hughes tied the all-time record for goals in a single game at the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship.
Hughes' seven points in the game also tied the record for most points in a single contest at the tournament.
Caufield opened the scoring 7:42 into play when he followed a Hughes shot and buried the rebound.
With 2:33 remaining in the first period, Patrick Moynihan (Millis, Mass.) sent the puck from behind the Slovak net to Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Ill.) in the slot, who banged it home to double the U.S. lead.
Slovakia got on the board with 30 seconds left in the first period on the power play, before Matthew Boldy (Millis, Mass.) answered just nine seconds later with a backhand shot that went top shelf.
Team USA expanded its lead to 4-1 early in the second period when Hughes redirected a Caufield shot just 29 seconds into play.
Cameron Rowe (Wilmette, Ill.) stood tall throughout a save sequence on Slovak power play, before the Slovaks closed the gap with 14 minutes remaining in the second period.
Caufield netted his second of the game with a power-play goal from a wrist shot off the faceoff to bring the lead to 5-2 after 40 minutes of play.
Hughes netted his second of the game 1:55 into the third off a one-timer from Caufield in the slot, before Owen Lindmark (Naperville, Ill.) scored at 3:15 off a centering pass at the goal line from Turcotte.
Slovakia scored two shorthanded goals two minutes apart starting at 5:09 into the final frame, bringing them within three goals of Team USA.
Caufield completed his hat trick first at the 10:34 mark of the third period before Hughes finished his at 12:13.
Slovakia concluded its scoring with 5:48 to play in the game, and Hughes, Cam York (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) and Caufield all netted goals in the final five minutes to account for the 12-5 final.
Rowe made 30 saves on 35 shots in the victory.
NOTES: Jack Hughes was named U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA outshot Slovakia 47-35, went 3-for-5 on the power play 4-for-6 on the penalty kill… Team USA news, interviews, highlights and more can be found at TeamUSA.USAHockey.com ... For the official IIHF home for the U18 Men's World Championship, click here ... All 22 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 15 consecutive medals, including gold medals in seven of the last ten years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017) ... Team USA has won 10 gold medals all-time, the most of any country in IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship history.
HIGHLIGHTS
GAME PHOTOS
2019 U.S. Tournament Schedule
All games at Fjallraven Center
| DATE | OPPONENT/ROUND | LOCATION | TIME (LOCAL/ET)/RESULT | TELEVISION | U.S. Player of the Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., April 12 | Finland Exhibition |
Heinola, Finland | L, 0-1 | None | Cam York |
| Sat., April 13 | Switzerland Exhibition |
Heinola, Finland | W, 8-0 | None | Jack Hughes |
| Thu., April 18 | Sweden Preliminary |
Fjallraven Center Ornskoldsvik, Sweden |
W, 6-1 | NHL Network | Cole Caufield |
| Fri., April 19 | Slovakia Preliminary |
Fjallraven Center Ornskoldsvik, Sweden |
W, 12-5 | NHL Network | Jack Hughes |
| Sun., April 21 | Russia Preliminary |
Fjallraven Center Ornskoldsvik, Sweden |
W, 6-3 | NHL Network | Alex Turcotte |
| Tue., April 23 | Latvia Preliminary |
Fjallraven Center Ornskoldsvik, Sweden |
W, 7-1 | NHL Network | John Beecher |
| Thu., April 25 | Finland Quarterfinals |
Fjallraven Center Ornskoldsvik, Sweden |
W, 6-0 | NHL Network | Jack Hughes |
| Sat., April 27 | Russia Semifinals |
Fjallraven Center Ornskoldsvik, Sweden |
L, 2-3 (SO) | NHL Network | Cole Caufield |
| Sun., April 28 | Canada Bronze-Medal Game |
Fjallraven Center Ornskoldsvik, Sweden |
W 5-2 | NHL Network | Cam York |
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