CRIMMITSCHAU, Germany – Eight different players scored for Team USA and Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill.) notched three points (1-2), as the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team topped Slovakia, 8-1, here today in its second preliminary game of the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men's U18 Championship. Fifteen U.S. players recorded at least one point in the win, which improved Team USA's overall record to 2-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L).

"Specials teams were a major part of this victory and the difference in the game," said Ron Rolston, head coach of the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team. "We will have to continue that play throughout the tournament to be successful."

Team USA celebrates one of eight goals on Friday.
More photos from the game

Team USA killed off two consecutive penalties in the first period, before netting two power-play goals.Rocco Grimaldi(Rossmoor, Calif.) opened the scoring for the U.S. at the 11:22 mark when he directed a rebound over Slovakian goaltender Richard Sabol while on the man-advantage.Connor Murphy(Dublin, Ohio) doubled Team USA's lead when he wristed a quick shot that beat Sabol high on the glove side with just 29 seconds remaining in the opening period.

Just one minute into the second frame, Russo notched Team USA's third power-play goal of the game off a slapshot to put the U.S. up, 3-0. Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn.) then scored a shorthanded tally to give Team USA a four-goal cushion. Zac Larraza(Scottsdale, Ariz.) skated up the left sideboards into the offensive zone and poked the puck forward to Boyd, who snuck it past Sabol for the score. Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich.) added to the lead when he fired a wrist shot that found the back of net and Adam Reid (Chino Hills, Calif.) chipped the puck into the net with just 59 seconds left in the period to give the U.S. a 6-0 advantage heading into the third period.

Dan Carlson (Corcoran, Minn.) scored for Team USA less than five minutes into the final frame when he made a skilled move around the defender, deked Slovakian netminder Patrik Rybar and wristed the puck under the crossbar. Ryan Haggerty (Stamford, Conn.) then notched the seventh special teams goal for the U.S. when he tipped a Michael Paliotta (Westport, Conn.) shot into the net while on the power play.

Slovakia scored midway through the final frame, but the U.S. came away with the 8-1 victory.

John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Matt McNeely (Burnsville, Minn.) combined to make 24 saves in goal for the U.S.

The U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team returns to action Sunday (April 17) when it takes on Russia at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. EDT), at Crimmitschau Arena. The game will be streamed live on FASTHockey.com.

NOTES: Robbie Russo was named Team USA's Player of the Game. With an assist last night (April 14) and three points (1-2) today against Slovakia, Russo moved into sole possession of tenth on the National Team Development Team list for career points by a defensemen. Russo has 57 points (11-46) in 108 games. Russo has four points (1-3) in two games played in the 2011 IIHF World Men's U18 Championship ... Rocco Grimaldi's three points (1-2) in tonight's game vault him from tied-for-17th to tied-for-fifth in NTDP all-time leading scorers in the IIHF World Men's U18 Championship. Grimaldi has posted three goals and collected 10 assists in nine games. Grimaldi played seven games for the 2010 U.S. National Under-18 Team that won gold last year in Belarus. Grimaldi also moves up the all-time goal scoring list with his goal today. Grimaldi's 38 goals place him in seventh within the NTDP, tied with Peter Mueller (Bloomington, Minn./2003-05) andJames vanRiemsdyk (Middletown, N.J./2005-07) ... J.T. Miller (East Palestine, Ohio) has recorded three assists in two games played at the IIHF World Men's U18 Championship ...Reid Boucher and Ryan Haggerty have one goal in each of the first two games of the tournament ... For live scoring updates, follow @USAHockeyScores and #U18WMC on Twitter ... All U.S. games will be streamed live onUSAHockey.FASTHockey.com... For additional coverage, visit USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Facebook page... The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams train with The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary new software program released on October 1, 2010 that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com.

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

SVK 0 - 0 - 1 - 1
USA 2 - 4 - 2 - 8

First Period - Scoring: 1, USA, Grimaldi (Miller, Jones), 11:22, (pp); 2, USA, Murphy (Boyd, Samuelsson) 19:31, (5-on-3). Penalties: USA, Gibson (interference), 1:18; USA, Biggs (slashing), 5:29; SVK, Dano (hooking), 9:59; USA, Kerdiles (slashing), 12:43; SVK, Bires (interference), 17:59; SVK, Korim (roughing), 19:13; SVK, Korim (roughing), 19:13; USA, Boucher (roughing), 19:13.

Second Period - Scoring: 3, USA, Russo (Jones), 1:00, (pp); 4, USA, Boyd (Larraza), (sh), 10:42; 5, USA, Boucher (Miller, Grimaldi), (pp); 6, USA, Reid (Biggs, Russo), 19:01, (pp). Penalties: USA, Bardreau (boarding), 2:57; USA, Miller (interference), 9:23; SVK, Bezuska (hooking), 12:44; SVK, Bench (too-many-men), 14:48; SVK, Mraz (hooking), 16:10; USA, Biggs (tripping), 16:16; SVK, Korim (roughing), 17:58.

Third Period - Scoring: 7, USA, Carlson (Larraza, Russo), 4:38; 8, USA, Haggerty (Paliotta, McCabe), 7:08, (pp); 9, SVK, Dano (Vasko, Mraz), 10:32. Penalties: SVK, Dano (tripping), 6:07; SVK, Korim (hooking), 8:55; USA, Biggs (checking-to-head), 11:06; USA, Biggs (misconduct), 11:06; SVK, Bezuska (high-sticking), 13:37; USA, Murphy (holding), 14:03; SVK, Luza (interference), 15:02.

Shots by Period 1 2 3 Total
SVK 10 6 9 25
USA 11 17 18 46
         
Goaltenders (SH/SV) 1 2 3 Total
SVK, Sabol, 35:37 11-9 14-11 -- 25-20
SVK, Rybar, 24:23 -- 3-2 21-18 21-18
USA, Gibson, 48:24 10/10 6-6 4-4 20-20
USA, McNeely, 11:36 -- -- 5-4 5-4

Power Play: SVK 0-8; USA 6-11

Penalties: SVK 12-24; USA 10-28