Under-17 Team Blanked by Muskegon Lumberjacks

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

Under-17 Team Blanked by Muskegon Lumberjacks

By USA Hockey, 12/22/12, 7:30PM EST

Forward Jack Eichel led the U.S. National Under-17 Team with six shots against Muskegon. Photo by Tom Sorensen.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Edwin Minney (Wind Gap, Pa.) turned aside 21 shots, as the U.S. National Under-17 Team was blanked by the Muskegon Lumberjacks, 4-0, at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube on Dec. 21, 2012. The game served as Team USA's last United States Hockey League tilt before the 2013 World Under-17 Challenge.

Ryan MacInnis fends off Muskegon's Joseph Cox. Photo by Tom Sorensen.

Muskegon opened scoring at 16:34 of the first frame. The Lumberjacks doubled its lead on the power play at 18:14. Team USA managed eight shots on net, but failed to solve Muskegon goalie Kevin Lindskoug.

Former National Team Development Program forward Cameron Darcy (South Boston, Mass./2010-12) connected with a Lumberjack teammate just 45 seconds into the second stanza. The U.S. trailed, 3-0, after two periods of action.

Team USA put 16 shots on net in the final frame, but none got through. Muskegon added a late goal and skated away with a 4-0 victory over the Under-17 Team. Lindskoug made 28 total saves in the shutout effort.

The Under-17 Team will take a couple of days to celebrate the holiday before preparing for the 2013 World Under-17 Challenge in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Quebec. The tournament starts on Friday, Dec. 28, with an exhibition game against Canada's Team Pacific.