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U.S. Advances to Hlinka Gretzky Cup Semifinals with 12-3 Win Over Germany

By USA Hockey, 08/07/24, 8:45PM EDT

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EDMONTON, Alberta -- Alexander Donovan (Darien, Conn.)  tallied a goal and four assists, while Mason Moe (Eden Prairie), Sam Spehar (Chaska, Minn.), and Nicolas Sykora (Roseland, N.J.) each scored twice to help the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team to a 12-3 victory over Germany in its third and final preliminary round game of the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup at Rogers Place.

With the win, the U.S. finished preliminary round play with a 2-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record, clinching the second seed in Group B and a spot in the semifinals, set for Friday. 

“Everyone contributed tonight and our group earned their next opportunity,” said Garrett Raboin (Detroit Lakes, Minn.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team. “It was great to utilize our depth tonight and see our guys get rewarded.”

U.S. captain Blake Fiddler (Frisco, Texas) opened the scoring just 2:07 into the contest with a coast-to-coast goal, deking past a defender on the right half-wall before tucking it five-hole to give Team USA a 1-0 lead.

GAME PHOTOS

Teddy Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.) doubled the U.S. lead with 2:56 to play in the first when he won a race to the puck after a dump in by Ben Kevan (Fairfield, Calif.) and slapped it past German goaltender Lukas Stuhrmann as he attempted a poke check.

Team USA took a commanding lead early in the second period, scoring five times in just over six minutes. 

Spehar crashed the net after a shot by Donovan and batted home the rebound at the 1:50 mark, and just 36 seconds later, Sykora capitalized on the power play with a top-shelf laser from the left circle to put the U.S. up 4-0. 

Matthew Lansing (Tonawanda, N.Y.) scored a breakaway goal at 3:46, stuffing the puck past Stuhrmann with a back hand finish. 

Chase Jette (Lake Forest, Ill.) tapped in a rebound from Kevan at 4:42, and Moe added to the tally at 6:03 to give the U.S. a 7-0 lead.

With 3:33 remaining in the middle frame, Sykora netted his second power play goal of the game with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle. 

Moe extended the lead 1:17 into the final frame with a shorthanded tally. 

Max Bleicher got Germany on the board at the 3:03 mark, but Cooper Simpson (Shakopee, Minn.) and Donovan each scored to give the U.S. an 11-1 lead. 

Germany added two more tallies in the third period, and Spehar picked up his second of the game to account for the 12-3 final. 

Charles Menard (Fairbanks, Alaska) and Carter Casey (Grand Rapids, Minn.) split the win goal for the U.S., combining for 12 saves. 

NOTES:  The U.S. outshot Germany 54-15 … Team USA was 2-6 on the power play, while Germany was 0-5 … Teddy Mutryn was named U.S. Player of the Game

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