PIEŠT’ANY, Slovakia – William Bent (Dover, Mass.) and Cole Bumgarner (Albertville, Minn.) each scored twice to help lift the U.S. Under-17 Select Team to an 8-1 victory over Germany in its opening contest of the 2024 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament at Easton Aréna.
“I think as a team it was important to get a good start. We wanted to play a good team game, use our speed, defend the middle of the ice, and get behind their defense, and I think we were able to do that,” said Joe Bonnett (Colorado Springs, Colo.), head coach of the 2024 U.S. Under-17 Select Team. We are going to let the kids enjoy the win, reflect on this game, and then try to do this again tomorrow.”
Casey Vandertop (Edina, Minn.) got Team USA out to an early lead 1:44 into the contest with Schaeffer Gordon-Carroll (Oswego, Ill.) picking up an assist on the play.
The U.S. doubled its lead just over a minute later when Bent batted home a rebound off a shot by Luke Puchner (New Germany, Minn.).
At the 6:03 mark, Kalder Varga (Geneva, Ill.) threaded a pass to Bumgarner in the high slot, who capitalized with a one-time laser to give Team USA a 3-0 lead.
GAME PHOTOS
Caden Harvey (Beaver, Pa.) added to the tally with 9:08 remaining in the opening stanza to put the U.S. up 4-0.
The U.S. took a 5-0 lead when Bumgarner picked up his second of the game on a one-timer from the left circle off a feed from Vandertop. Gordon-Carroll also recorded a helper on the play.
Just 1:22 into the second, Bumgarner found Bent out in front of the Slovakia crease, and Bent pushed the puck past German goaltender Mika Henning while on the power play to give Team USA a 6-0 advantage.
Germany got on the board with 6:28 remaining tin the middle frame when Daniel Kettler scored a power play goal off a rebound to make it a 6-1 game.
Gordon-Carroll scored with 8:36 remaining in the contest to give the U.S. a 7-1 lead, and Joseph Salandra (Pleasantville, N.Y.) added to the tally with 1:34 to play to account for the 8-1 final.
Xavier Wendt (Plymouth, Minn.) and Ryder Fetterolf (Sewickley, Pa.) combined for 20 saves in goal for the U.S.
Team USA is back in action tomorrow (Aug. 16) against Switzerland at 7:30 a.m. ET. The game will stream live here.
NOTES: The U.S. outshot Germany 57-21 … Team USA was 2-5 on the power play, while Germany was 1-4 … William Bent was named U.S. Player of the Game.
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