Team USA got on the board first off of a tremendous defensive-zone effort from Cooley. As Muskegon attempted to clear, Cooley lifted the stick of Tyler Young and stole possession of the puck. He wheeled around unabated to the net and slid his shot through the five-hole for a 1-0 advantage. 

The lead was doubled just over a minute later when Rutger McGroarty (Lincoln, Neb.) finished off a pretty set-up from Cooley. Defenseman Charlie Leddy (Fairfield, Conn.) aimed his pass for McGroarty who played it off his skate to Cooley, attacking the slot. He found McGroarty on the left side of the cage where the future University of Michigan Wolverine hesitated and shifted the puck to his backhand before sliding it by goaltender Cameron Korpi for a 2-0 USA lead. 

The U18s made it three in a row off the stick of Devin Kaplan (Bridgewater, N.J.) on a second-chance opportunity. Frank Nazar III (Mount Clemens, Mich.) drove the play down the right wing and fired the first shot on net. The loose puck deflected through a plethora of 'Jacks players before Kaplan found it and put a shot on net for his second score of the season. 

Quinn Hutson, older brother of Team USA defenseman Lane, put Muskegon on the board at 9:24 of the middle period with a quick shot over the shoulder of USA's netminder, Tyler Muszelik (Long Valley, N.J.). 

Team USA dumped in a trio of goals in the period's final five minutes to take a commanding 6-1 lead after 40 minutes of action. The first of the flurry came on a Cruz Lucius (Grant, Minn.) power-play tally. Lane Hutson (North Barrington, Ill.) set up Cooley for a one-timer blast from the right wing that was rejected, but Lucius followed it up on a second-chance opportunity for his third score of the season.