CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Shane Gersich (Chaska, Minn.) and Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had one goal and one assist each, but the U.S. National Under-18 Team was outscored by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 5-2, here tonight at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. This was the third straight meetings between the two United States Hockey League foes. Team USA previously took both games played last weekend (March 7-8) at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.
The RoughRiders put the U.S. on notice at 12:17 of the opening period. Team USA responded less than one minute later when Gersich lit the lamp. Matthews earned an assist on the score. Cedar Rapids answered 12 seconds after the U.S. marker to regain the lead. A power-play strike with 11 seconds remaining in the frame extended the advantage for the RoughRiders, now leading 3-1 over the U18s.
Team USA outshot its opponent, 10-6, but Cedar Rapids notched the lone goal of the second stanza.
An early goal in the third period gave the RoughRiders a 5-1 lead. The U.S. inched closer off the stick of Matthews, but it would prove the closest Team USA would get. Gersich and Noah Hanifin (Norwood, Mass.) collected helpers on the play.
Edwin Minney (Wind Gap, Pa.) made 11 saves in the loss for the Under-18 Team, while Danny Tirone turned aside 24 saves in the victory for Cedar Rapids.
The U.S. National Under-18 Team will come right back tomorrow night to go up against the RoughRiders at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Puck drop is slated for 8:05 p.m. EST.
Team USA outshot Cedar Rapids, 26-16 ... Defenseman Noah Hanifin and forwards Auston Matthews and Colin White (Hanover, Mass.) joined the U.S. National Under-18 Team from the U17 squad ... The U18s are 17-5-1 this season versus teams in the USHL ... Auston Matthews is riding a four-game USHL point streak dating back to Feb. 23. The forward has four goals and one assist over that span ... Follow the NTDP on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) scored two goals and Noah Hanifin (Norwood, Mass.) registered three assists, but the U.S. National Under-18 Team was edged , 4-3, in a shootout here tonight at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.
Team USA fired 16 shots on net in the first frame, but didn't hit the back of the net until 2:25 of the second. Larkin notched his first goal off a feed from Hanifin. The U.S. lead doubled on the power play at 17:39, again off the stick of Larkin. Louie Belpedio (Skokie, Ill.) and Hanifin assisted on the score.
Cedar Rapids started the comeback bid at 2:29 of the third stanza. Belpedio netted Team USA's second power-play marker to restake the two-goal advantage for the U.S. Hanifin collected his third helper on the play. Down by two, the RoughRiders pulled netminder Danny Tirone in favor of the extra attacker late in the period. The gamble paid off for Cedar Rapids as the RoughRiders potted two goals 34 seconds apart to tie the game.
After a scoreless overtime, the two squads would need a shootout to settle its differences. Tirone blocked all three U.S. attempts by Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y.), Hanifin and Larkin. Blake Weyrick (Ojai, Calif.) allowed one goal and it stood up as the game winner.
The U.S. National Under-18 Team will next face the Chicago Steel on March 22 at The Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Ill. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT.
Team USA outshot Cedar Rapids, 46-21 ... Dylan Larkin recorded his fourth two-goal game in United States Hockey League action this season ... The U18s are 17-5-2 this season versus teams in the USHL ... Noah Hanifin is riding a three-game USHL point streak dating back to March 2. The blueliner has five assists over that span ... Follow the NTDP on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
1st Star
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Andrew Poturalski (3 goals)
2nd Star
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Frederik Tiffels (2 assists)
3rd Star
U.S. National Under-18 Team
Auston Matthews (1 goal, 1 assist)
1st Star
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Dylan Steman
2nd Star
U.S. National Under-18 Team
Dylan Larkin (2 goals)
3rd Star
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Corey Petrash (1 goal)