Sweden scored just :17 into the contest when Filip Bystedt found a loose puck in the crease and put it in. USA Blue tied the game just 1:20 later when Rutger McGroarty took a cross-ice feed from Will Smith and converted at the left side of the goal. The visitors scored three times in a minute in the early stages of the second half of the period, including two more from Bystedt and one from Hannes Hellberg, to take a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes.

The U.S. closed the gap in the middle frame, scoring the only two goals, both on the power play. Lane Hutson wristed one from the center point that got through traffic and found the back of the net at 3:52 to make it 4-2 with Ryan Leonard and Smith drawing assists. Then at 7:51, Gavin Hayes scored from out in front with Brindley and Quentin Musty earning assists.

Team USA completed the comeback in the third with Frank Nazar tying the game with 6:48 to play before Musty tallied the game-winner with just 1.8 seconds to play, finding a puck that bounded off his skate from just in front of the crease and banging it in after an initial shot off the stick of Ryan Chesley from the right point.

Tyler Muszelik play the first half of the game and had 13 saves, while Jacob Fowler finished the contest and made eight stops.The U.S. had a 40-25 shots on goal advantage in the contest.

GAME PHOTOS

Oliver Moore staked USA White to a 1-0 lead just 1:49 into the contest. Tyler Duke aired a long up-ice pass out of his own end that Moore caught on his blade at the Finland blueline and proceeded to skate in alone to beat Niklas Kokko stick side. Jani Nyman evened the game at 6:51 on Finland’s first shot on goal of the game and then Joona Vaisanen walked down the right side with the teams skating four-on-four and beat Hampton Slukynsky at 15:38.

The U.S. got the lone goal of the middle stanza. Danny Nelson weaved through traffic from his own end to below the Finland goal line and fed Moore at the right of the net, who scored his second of the game at 12:02.

Cutter Gauthier scored on the power play from the right of the net just 1:01 into the third period to give the U.S. to a 3-2 lead with Seamus Casey and James Hagens drawing assists. Finland, however, got goals from Kasper Lundell at 11:04 and Samu Bau at 12:48 to earn the victory. The U.S. pulled netminder Trey Augustine for the final 2:56, but could not get the equalizer.

Slukynsky started in goal for the U.S. and had nine stops in 31:33 of action, while Augustine played 25:31 and made five saves.

What’s Next
U.S. general manager John Vanbiesbrouck and his staff, including head coach David Carle, will continue the player evaluation process in the Fall and invite a select group of athletes to a final selection camp for the 2024 U.S. National Junior Team that is expected to begin on Dec. 13 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship will take place Dec. 26, 2023-Jan. 5, 2024 in Gothenburg, Sweden. NHL Network will televise all U.S. games in the tournament.

GAME PHOTOS