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U.S. Claims U18 Five Nations Title

By USAHockeyNTDP.com, 11/11/18, 11:30AM EST

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Late tally by Zegras leads U18s past Finland, 3-2, in tournament finale


Photo by Rena Laverty

KRAVAŘE, Czech Republic – Trevor Zegras (Bedford, N.Y.) snapped a 2-2 tie with the game-winning goal at 16:59 of the third period for the U.S. National Under-18 Team as it defeated Finland, 3-2, to secure first place in the Under-18 Five Nations Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Buly Arena.

Team USA won all four games of the tournament, outscoring the opposition, 24-7. The 2001 birth year group remains undefeated in international competition, winning its past 18 contests dating back to October 2017.

On the game-winning goal, Domenick Fensore (Thornwood, N.Y.) carried the puck to the left goal line in Finnish territory and fed the puck to Zegras, who scored from the hash marks.

Box Score

Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) and Matt Boldy (Millis, Mass.) scored the other Team USA goals. Zegras added an assist, while Marshall Warren (Laurel Hollow, N.Y.), Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) and Fensore contributed the additional assists in the victory. Cameron Rowe (Wilmette, Ill.) stopped 20 of 22 shots for Team USA.

Team USA outshot Finland, 23-3, in the first period and led 2-0 after twenty minutes.

Caufield scored the game’s first goal at 7:22 of the frame, taking Hughes’ backhand pass from the high slot in the Finland zone and scoring with a quick one-timer just inside the right post past goaltender Roope Taponen for his seventh goal of the tournament. 

Hughes led the tournament with six goals and 10 assists for 16 points over four games.

Boldy extended the Team USA lead to 2-0 at 15:06 with his first goal of the tournament, snapping a shot home from just outside the Finland blue high after accepting Zegras’ pass from the right corner.

The U18s outshot Finland, 16-6, in the second period.

Finland cut the Team USA lead to 2-1 on a power play at 6:39 of the second period when Jusso Pärssinen played a carom of a wide shot off the back boards and scored on the left side of the net past Rowe.

Team USA led, 2-1, after forty minutes.

Finland tied the game at 0:22 of the third period as Kasper Simontaival followed Rowe’s original save and scored on a rebound at the right side of the net.

That set the stage for Zegras’ game-winner.

Finland pulled goaltender Taponen in the final minute of regulation but couldn’t find the equalizer.

Team USA outshot Finland, 52-22, in the game.

The U18s return to USHL play next Friday in Omaha and Saturday in Dubuque.  The U18s next home game is Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 7 pm E.T. at USA Hockey Arena against Bowling Green State University. Tickets are available by visiting USAHockeyNTDP.com/Tix or by calling (734) 453-8400.

The U17s return home on Friday, hosting the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the Chicago Steel on Saturday at USA Hockey Arena. Game time for both games is 7 pm E.T. Tickets are available by visiting USAHockeyNTDP.com/Tix or by calling (734) 453-8400.

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