TOURNAMENT REWIND

Finland defeated the Czech Republic, 3-2 in the opening game of the 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament at USA Hockey Arena.

Jesse Moilanen scored the eventual game winner for Finland at the 14:01 of the second period. After a series of passes from Niklas Nordgren, Moilanen sent the puck in over the glove of the Czech Republic’s Lukáš Dostál.

The Czech Republic pulled within one at 5:45 of the third period but eventually fell short.  Adam Gajarsky netted the Czech Republic's second goal on the power play, on a shot from the point.

Dostál finished the game with 23 saves for the Czech Republic while Finland’s Justus Annunen finished the game with 22 saves.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team defeated Sweden, 5-1 in its opening game of the Under-18 Five Nations Tournament at USA Hockey Arena behind three point nights from Bode Wilde (Birmingham, Mich.), Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) and Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.).

Drew DeRidder (Fenton, Mich.) tallied 22 saves in the win while Sweden’s Jesper Eliasson recorded 28 saves.

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

Each team will compete in four games, with points awarded for wins (3), overtime wins (2) and overtime losses (1). The first-place team will be determined based on final point standings.

TOP NHL-ELIGIBLE TALENT

Of the 112 players in the tournament, 72 are rated by NHL's Central Scouting Bureau for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Thirty-one players in the tournament are rated in the Top 40 of the North American or International skaters. 

Team USA has the most players on the Central Scouting list with 18. 

U18 FIVE NATIONS HISTORY

The Under-18 Five Nations and Four Nations tournaments are held twice a season. The U.S. has placed first in at least one of the two yearly events dating back to the 2007-08 season. In total, the U.S. has won the event 19 times since the U.S. began participating in 1997-1998. 

The U.S. has won both of the yearly tournaments five times (2003-04, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2016-17). 

NOVEMBER'S FIVE NATIONS

In the November U18 Five Nations tournament in Finland, the U18s went 1-0-2-1 (W-OTW-OTL, L) in the tournament to tie the Czech Republic for third place. Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.) and Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) led Team USA in the tournament with three points (1-2-3) in their three games.