Under-17 Team Suffers Back-to-Back Losses Versus Green Bay Gamblers

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

Under-17 Team Suffers Back-to-Back Losses Versus Green Bay Gamblers

By USA Hockey, 03/10/13, 5:30PM EDT

Joshua Wesley skates versus the Green Bay Gamblers in the weekend series on March 8-9. Photo by Tom Sorensen.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Edwin Minney (Wind Gap, Pa.) turned aside 42 shots, as the U.S. National Under-17 Team was clipped, 4-2, in the first of two games versus the Green Bay Gamblers on March 8, 2013.

Ryan MacInnis takes a draw against Green Bay. Photo by Tom Sorensen.

Team USA and Green Bay skated to a scoreless first frame, before the Gamblers staked a 1-0 lead at 5:55 of the second stanza. The marker was notched on the power play. Jared Fiegl (Parker, Colo.) responded with a tally to tie the contest at 8:34. Nolan Stevens (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Nathan Billitier (Spencerport, N.Y.) earned assists on the play. Eleven seconds later, Ryan MacInnis (St. Louis, Mo.) found the back of the net to give the U.S. a 2-1 advantage. Alex Tuch (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and Ryan Hitchcock (Manhasset, N.Y.) collected helpers on the score. Green Bay struck back at 15:17 to even the game at two goals apiece.

The Gamblers reclaimed the lead at 1:44 of the final frame. Trailing Green Bay and in need of a goal, Team USA pulled Minney in favor of the extra attacker. The U.S. was whistled for a late penalty and the Gamblers scored in the empty net, short handed, to ice the game, 4-2. Richard Ullberg made 27 saves, 12 in the third period in the victory for Green Bay.

The following afternoon (March 9), the U.S. suffered its second straight loss to Green Bay, 2-1, at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

Four minutes into the first period, the Gamblers potted its first goal of the game. Green Bay's lead doubled at 18:17, beating netminder Hunter Miska (North Branch, Minn.). The U17s outshot its opponent in the frame, 10-9, but could not solve netminder Tony Kujava.

The second stanza would not see any pucks hit the back of the net, leading to a tightly contested third period. Fiegl ripped a shot past Kujava to slice the Green Bay lead in half, 2-1, at 12:54 of the final frame. The unassisted tally was Fiegl's second in as many games. Finding itself in the same situation as the previous night, Team USA was in need of a goal. Lifting Miska with 36 seconds remaining, the U.S. attempted to knot the game, but fell short in the effort.

Fans were given the opportunity to skate with Team USA following the game on March 9.

Miska made 24 saves in the loss for the U17s, while Kujava kicked out 29 shots in the win for Green Bay.

Following the game, Team USA met with fans, signed autographs and posed for pictures in the annual Skate with the Players Event.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team will take next weekend off, before hitting the road to visit the Chicago Steel on Saturday, March 23. Team USA will skate against Chicago at The Edge Ice Arena at 8 p.m. EDT. The following afternoon (March 24), the U.S. faces the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. EDT at the Mystique Ice Center.