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Team USA Takes Down Switzerland, 6-1, in Pre-Tournament Play

By USA Hockey, 08/06/22, 7:30PM EDT

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World Juniors preliminary round begins Tuesday against Germany

EDMONTON, Alberta – Red Savage (Scottsdale, Ariz.) netted two goals and Team USA scored four times in the first ten minutes to defeat Switzerland, 6-1, in its final pre-tournament game ahead of the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship here tonight.

"Tonights game was a great step in the direction for our preparation of the tournament," said head coach Nate Leaman (East Greenwich, R.I.). "We had a great start to the game and kept up that momentum throughout."

Matt Coronato (New York, N.Y.) got the game going with a quick goal, 1:28 into the opening frame. Just 1:06 later, Savage extended the lead to two while Team USA played shorthanded. Wyatt Kaiser (Ham Lake, Minn.) sent a pass in front where Savage was streaking towards the crease and deflected it past Swiss netminder Andri Henauer.

On the powerplay, Carter Mazur (Jackson, Mich.) got in on the offense 5:21 into the first with help from Thomas Bordeleau (Houston, Texas). Bordeleau skated around the net and fed the puck to Mazur as he pushed it pass the goal line.

Less than a minute later, Charlie Stramel (Rosemount, Minn.) muscled his way through the defense and took a shot from one knee that went into the back of the net to put the U.S. up four. Dominic James (Plymouth, Mich.) took a few attempts at a loose puck in front of the net before putting it past goaltender Kevin Pasche, who came in for relief of Henauer. The U.S. controlled the first and skated into the second with a 5-0 lead.

Although the team put up 10 shots in the second compared to the first period’s 19, the U.S. maintained control. The defense held strong with key shot blocks and a pair of great saves from U.S. starting netminder Kaidan Mbereko (Aspen, Colo.) to keep the Swiss scoreless after two.

Savage extended the lead to six in the third after he cleaned up Landon Slaggert’s (South Bend, Ind.) initial shot. Switzerland got on the board late, but it was Team USA that came out with the win, 6-1.

Mbereko started in net for the U.S. and stopped all 13 shots faced in two periods of action, while Andrew Oke (Shelby Township, Mich.) played the final 20 and stopped five of six shots faced.

NOTES: Red Savage (Scottsdale, Ariz.) was named U.S. Player of the Game… The U.S. outshot Switzerland, 39-18.

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