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U17s Sweep NAHL Tournament With 7-0 Shutout Over Team East

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 02/08/22, 5:00PM EST

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Smith tallied 4 points (2g , 2a) while Musser collected 39 shots in their sweep over Team East


Photo by Jeff Lawler

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Team USA was led by Carsen Musser (Sherburn, Minn.) with 39 saves for a his first career shutout, as well as Will Smith (Lexington, Mass) with two goals and two assists, to sweep the 2022 NAHL Top Prospects tournament in Pittsburgh.

 

Smith got Team USA off to a hot start scoring just a 1:31 into the game. On a scramble at the other end, Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale, Ill.) scooped up the loose puck, going coast-to-coast for a dump back to Smith in the slot for the 1-0 advantage.

Just thirty seconds apart, Team USA struck two powerful scoring opportunities. Carter Slaggert (South Bend, Ind.) led with a point-blank wrist shot before being followed up by Brady Cleveland (Wausau, Wis.) from the left faceoff circle.

Box Score

In the final minutes of the period, Musser battled a tough Team East offense, making multiple saves from in front of the crease. Musser finished the frame with 16 saves on 16 shots.

Smith, carrying the puck from the defensive zone, fed the puck to Alex Weiermair (Los Angeles, Calif.) at the Team USA blueline. Weiermair and Perreault forged ahead with a give-and-go in front of the net for Weiermair to give the U17s a two-goal advantage with 13:39 remaining in the middle frame.

With two assists already, Perreault added to the scoring action past the midway point in the game. Smith ripped a shot attempt from the right side that deflected off the netminder Luca Di Pasquo’s pad and Perreault was there to clean up the rebound and Team USA put up by three.

Team USA went on two score four unanswered goals in the third period. Smith collected his second of the game on an open net shot off a beautifully crafted setup by Austin Burnevik (Blaine, Minn.). Off the faceoff, the U17s extended their lead, 5-0, as Gracyn Sawchyn (Chaska, Minn.) connected with Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) front and center for the goal.

The final two goals of the game came off net front scrambles two minutes apart. Burnevik and Slaggert were credited with the lamplighters, while Zach Schulz (South Lyon, Mich.), Cleveland and Charlie Cerrato (Fallston, Md.) were all given an assist.

Musser recorded his first shutout of the season, recording 39 saves on 39 shots while going the distance in net for Team USA.

The Under-17 team is back on home ice this Saturday (Feb. 12) as they host St. Andrew’s College. The game is scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m. ET and can be streamed on HockeyTV.

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