“We knew we had to get off to a good start today,” said Nate Leaman, head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team. “Our schedule was different today, and it was important for us to adjust quickly. I'm happy with how the team started the first period and kept it rolling."

Matt Coronato (New York, N.Y.) retrieved a puck behind the net and found a waiting Kaiser at the blue line. Kaiser skated toward the center of the ice and fired a shot, 55 seconds into the period, for his first of the tournament. Less than two minutes later, Matt Knies (Phoenix, Ariz.) skated up ice and dished the puck to a waiting Logan Cooley (West Mifflin, Pa.) on the half wall, who found a wide-open Coronato cross-ice. Coronato patiently skated out in front of Austrian netminder Leon Sommer, waiting until he found an open net to make things 2-0. Austria responded with an offensive push, but U.S. netminder Andrew Oke (Shelby Township, Mich.) was up to the challenge.

Kaiser found himself with the puck at the blue line again, fed by Red Savage (Scottsdale, Ariz.), as he wristed home his second of the game. Savage got in on the action again, with a minute remaining in the period, finding himself on a breakaway as he tucked the puck into the top corner of the net, giving the U.S. a 4-0 lead.

HIGHLIGHTS

Mazur put the U.S. on the board to start the second period. Sasha Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.) picked up a loose puck in the zone between two Austrian defenders and fed the puck to a streaking Mazur, who wasted no time to load up a shot and score. Thomas Bordeleau (Houston, Texas) found Mazur again just 57 seconds later, this time on the powerplay, open in the slot for back-to-back goals.

Team USA swapped goaltenders to start the third period, as Remington Keopple (Hudson, Wis.) took over netminding duties. Mackie Samoskevich (Newtown, Conn.) nearly gave the U.S. a 7-0 lead, but his shot rang of the post with three minutes remaining in the final period. With 40 seconds remaining, Pastujov was given space down low in the offensive zone, and fired a shot toward the helmet of the Austria netminder, banking it in for a 7-0 final.

Oke stopped all 11 shots he faced in net through two periods, while Keopple was credited with four saves for a combined shutout.

NOTES: Wyatt Kaiser (Ham Lake, Minn.) was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Austria, 56-15 … Team USA was 1-2 on the powerplay, while Austria was 0-4 on the man advantage.

GAME PHOTOS