ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Tyler Motte (St. Clair, Mich.) scored two goals and J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill.) had two assists, as the U.S. National Under-18 Team topped the University of Michigan, 5-3, at Yost Ice Arena on Friday, Jan. 4. The win was the first by Team USA in series history.

The Wolverines opened scoring at 5:21 of the first frame, netting a shorthanded goal. The U.S. responded at 6:53 when Sean Malone (West Seneca, N.Y.) knocked in a rebound off an Anthony Louis (Winfield, Ill.) shot. John Hayden (Greenwich, Conn.) also earned an assist. Michigan regained the lead at 13:25, again down a player, before the U.S. answered with its own special teams goal. Motte collected a rebound to the right of Wolverines and former National Team Development Program netminder Jared Rutledge (Chicago, Ill./2010-12), and poked it past the goal line for the game-tying marker. Compher and Kevin Labanc (Staten Island, N.Y.) registered assists on the power-play score.

After a scoreless second stanza, Motte staked the first lead of the contest for the U.S. just 45 seconds into the third. Motte's one timer was assisted on by Compher and Michael McCarron (Macomb, Mich.). Thirty-eight seconds later, Hayden tallied a rebound goal to double Team USA's lead, 4-2. Dawson Cook (Cadillac, Mich.) had the initial shot, while Shane Eiserman (West Newbury, Mass.) recorded the second assist. Michigan scored at 4:14 to close the gap between the two squads, but Trevor Hamilton's (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.) tally at 14:08 sealed the victory for the U.S., 5-3. Evan Allen (Sterling Heights, Mich.) and Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) earned assists on the insurance goal.

Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif.) turned aside 19 shots in the win for the U.S., while Rutledge made 32 saves in the loss for the Wolverines.

1st Star
U.S. National Under-18 Team
Tyler Motte, forward (2 goals)

2nd Star
University of Michigan
Lee Moffie, forward (2 goals)

3rd Star
U.S. National Under-18 Team
J.T. Compher, forward (2 assists)