PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.) and Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minn.) each scored one goal as the U.S. National Under-18 Team skated to a 2-2 draw with the University of Notre Dame this afternoon at USA Hockey Arena. U.S. goalie Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo.) stopped 27-of-29 shots in the tie.

The first period saw end-to-end action and no whistles until 8:56 of the frame but neither team could get find the board. Team USA managed a couple of quality chances, including when Nick Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.) intercepted a Notre Dame breakout pass at the blue line and wristed a shot in the slot, but all attempts to score were denied. Both netminders stopped nine shots in the scoreless stanza. 

Keller opened scoring for the U18s just 3:25 into the second period when he snapped a wrist shot from the slot. Play continued to be physical and end-to-end throughout the stanza leading to quality scoring chances from both teams. A couple of USA’s best chances came on their first power play when the U.S. spent nearly the first 1:30 of the man advantage in the offensive end.  With less than two minutes to play in the frame, Notre Dame notched the equalizer. Team USA outshot Notre Dame 17-9 in the frame.

Notre Dame grabbed the lead just 3:04 into the third period when Mario Lucia helped the Fighting Irish cash in on the power play. But just over a minute later, the U18s countered with their own power-play tally when Bellows tipped in a Keller shot to tie the game at two. Joey Anderson (Roseville, Minn.) earned the secondary helper on the play.

Regulation ended in a tie and a five-minute, five-on-five overtime would not settle the score and the contest ended knotted at two apiece.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team next heads east for two NCAA Division I tilts against Boston University (Oct. 16) and Dartmouth University (Oct. 17).