Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.) rounded out the first period scoring for the U.S., firing a rocket from the left circle on the power play to notch his team-leading 19th goal of the season and give the U.S. a 3-1 lead. 

The Phantoms scored again late in the frame, but the U.S. held onto a 3-2 advantage heading into the first intermission. 

The U.S. exploded in the second period, scoring four straight goals to take a comfortable 7-2 lead. 

Ryan Chesley (Mahtomedi, Minn.) notched his second goal of the series on the power play to make it a 4-2 game, and Jimmy Snuggerud (Chaska, Minn.) gave the U.S. a 5-2 advantage after Berard forced a turnover in the offensive zone. 

Frank Nazar III (Mount Clemens, Mich.) scored the team's second shorthanded goal in as many nights on the penalty kill and Cruz Lucius (Grant, Minn.) capitalized on a turnover in the attacking and put away a feed from Stramel to make it a 7-2 game. 

Youngstown scored a pair of goals to cut the lead to 7-4, but Logan Cooley (West Mifflin, Pa.) continued his impressive point streak with a goal of his own, and Fleming found the back of the net to make it a 9-4 game with one period to play.