U.S. Downs Switzerland, 7-0, in Under-17 Five Nations Tournament

By USA Hockey, 08/16/24, 10:15AM EDT

Team USA to Face Czechia Tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. ET

PIESTANY, Slovakia – Nathaniel Pederson (Shakopee, Minn.) had a goal and two assists and Ryder Fetterolf (Sewickley, Pa.) stopped all 25 shots he faced, including 14 in the third period, to lead the U.S. Under-17 Select Team to a 7-0 victory over Switzerland here today in its second of four games at the 2024 Under 17 Five Nations Tournament.

“I thought we played a solid game against a very strong Swiss team,” said Joe Bonnett (Colorado Springs, Colo.), head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Select Team. “I liked our compete level throughout, and we did the little things well …. being first to pucks, winning battles and blocking shots. We’ll get some rest and be ready for another tough game tomorrow against the Czechs.”

The U.S. got off to a 2-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes, outshooting Switzerland by a 12-4 count. Caden Harvey (Beaver, Pa.) fired one home from the side of the right circle to account for the first U.S. goal just 2:26 into the contest. Levi Harper (Tampa, Fla.) drew an assist on the play.

Pederson found the back of the net from out in front after a feed from Joseph Salandra (Pleasantville, N.Y.) at 11:27 to double the U.S. lead. Harvey also picked up an assist on the play.

GAME PHOTOS

The U.S. registered four goals in the middle frame and led 6-0 after two periods.

Nathaniel Celski (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) made it 3-0 after he scored on a delayed penalty at 4:43. Cole Bumgarner (Albertville, Minn.) had the lone assist on the play.

Brody Gillespie (Vancouver, Wash.) backhanded one home at 12:15 from between the bottom of the right circle and the goal line to make it 4-0.

Noah Davidson (Irvine, Calif.) drove down the right side and wristed the puck to the back of the net from just above the crease at 14:27 to expand the U.S. lead with Kalder Varga (Geneva, Ill.) gaining an assist.

A cross-crease feed from Gillespie found Varga at the right of the goal mouth for the sixth U.S. goal. It came on the power play at 16:57 with Pederson also assisting.

With the teams skating four-on-four, Pederson made a nice up-ice pass to send Salandra in alone, and he converted at 10:30 of the final stanza to account for the 7-0 final.

Now 2-0 in the Five Nations Tournament, the U.S. returns to action tomorrow (Aug. 17) for its third game of the event against Czechia at 1:30 p.m. local/7:30 a.m. ET. The contest will stream live here.

NOTES: Netminder Ryder Fetterolf was named the U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outshot Switzerland, 34-25 … Team USA was 1-5 on the power play, while Switzerland was 0-3.