YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The U.S. National Under-17 Team dropped 6-3 to the Youngstown Phantoms Sunday evening at Covelli Centre.

The U17s had a chance to extend their lead when Kai Janviriya (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) fired a shot from the point for a rebounded attempt by Gracyn Sawchyn (Chaska, Minn.). Both attempts were stopped by Phantoms’ netminder Jacob Fowler.

Youngstown’s Trey Taylor scored the Phantoms lone goal of the first period off a wrist shot from just inside the blueline to tie the game at 1-1 with 1:15 left to play.

The second period opened with back-to-back goals from the Phantoms, just four minutes apart. Taylor netted his second of the net on a one-timer from the left faceoff circle, before Winter Wallace scored on a breakaway to take a two-goal lead.

There is nothing like scoring on your birthday as Paul Fisher (River Forest, Ill.) brought Team USA back within one goal on a laser shot from the left side, netting his second goal of the season.

Before the period’s end, the Phantoms added two more goal courtesy of Charlie Lurie and Nick Williams to head into the intermission with a 5-2 advantage. 

Team USA continued to battle back in the final twenty minutes of the game. At the 4:57 mark in the final period, Austin Burnevik (Blaine, Minn.) made a quick move to the slot for a backhander to the top corner, cutting the Phantoms lead to 5-3. Beckett Hendrickson (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Ryan Fine (Center Moriches, N.Y.) were credited with the assists.

The win was secured with 1:36 left in the game by Youngstown when Taylor scored an empty netter for the 6-3 victory.

Carsen Musser (Sherburn, Minn.) and Michael Chambre (Fort Myers, Fla.) split time in net for the U17s, making ten and nine saves, respectively.

The team is back in action two weekends from now when they host St. Andrew’s Prep on Sat., Feb. 12th. Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m. ET and can be streamed on HockeyTV.