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The U.S. National Under-17 Team fought back from two deficits but ultimately fell to the Muskegon Lumberjacks, 4-3, in a shootout Friday night at USA Hockey Arena.
Despite several USA scoring chances, Jachym Kondelik opened the scoring for the Lumberjacks at the 18:02 mark of the first period.
Just 2:22 into the second period, Team USA tied the game after a delayed penalty left the Muskegon net empty and the puck bounced off the boards down the ice into the net.
The Lumberjacks regained the lead after a shot by former NTDP player Keenan Suthers found the back of the net at the 4:58 mark of the second frame.
Will MacKinnon (Plymouth, Mich.) sent a wrist shot into the top shelf at 7:43 mark of the second period to tie the game at 2-2.
Jake Goldowski (Thornhurst, Pa.) gave the U17s their first lead of the game at the 15:42 mark of the second period when he cut around a Lumberjacks defenseman and beat goaltender Keith Petruzzelli. Erik Middendorf (Scottsdale, Ariz.) picked up his second assist of the night on the play.
Muskegon tied the game early in the third, and the game was eventually sent into overtime.
Neither team scored during the eight-minute overtime period, so the two teams headed into a shootout. U.S. goaltender Keegan Karki (Sartell, Minn.) stopped the first three Muskegon attempts, but Team USA couldn't convert and Mikael Hakkarainen eventually finished the game with a goal in the fourth round to give the Lumberjacks a 4-3 win.