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Muszelik Records Second Season Shutout With 9-0 Win Over Dubuque

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 02/18/22, 10:30PM EST

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Howard finished with 4 points (2g, 2a) and Nazar recorded 3 points (2g, 1a) in tonight's victory


Photo by Rena Laverty

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Tyler Muszelik (Long Valley, N.J.) finished with 22 saves while Frank Nazar III (Mount Clemens, Mich.) and Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.) each netted two goals to lead Team USA to a shutout over Dubuque, 9-0, Friday evening.

Team USA dominated in the offensive zone throughout the opening frame of the game. On back-to-back possessions, Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) and Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.) created scoring opportunities from within the slot for the U18s.

Rutger McGroarty (Lincoln, Neb.) gave Team USA the lead with a late period goal on a rebounded shot just right of the crease. Devin Kaplan (Bridgewater, N.J.) fired a shot from the left faceoff circle where McGroarty cleaned up for the 1-0 advantage and his 19th goal of the season.

Box Score

Through twenty minutes of play, Team USA outshot Dubuque 19-10 led by Muszelik in net to keep the Fighting Saints scoreless.

Keeping momentum, the Under-18 Team extended their lead to 2-0 on a goal by Nazar. As Lane Hutson (North Barrington, Ill.) collected the puck in the defensive zone, he pushed it ahead for Nazar on a breakaway as he wrapped it around and buried the puck past Dubuque’s netminder Philip Svedebäck.

Adding yet another goal, Cutter Gauthier (Scottsdale, Ariz.) netted a one-timer from the right faceoff circle for his 24thof the season, assisted by Nazar and Seamus Casey (Fort Myers, Fla.) on a swing play up top.

For Team USA’s fourth unanswered goal, Kaplan carried the puck up the right side before sending the puck across the ice for Charlie Stramel (Rosemount, Minn.). Stramel’s shot from the left side deflected off the netminder for Kaplan to tap the puck in on the backside, giving the U18s a 4-0 lead heading into the third.

From the right point, Howard lead the charge with a pass for Cole Spicer (Grand Forks, N.D.) on the right side of the crease. Spicer connected with Nazar centered in front of the net as he buried his second goal of the night.

Howard and Huston each recorded their second point of the night on the U18s sixth unanswered goal. Huston picked up the loose puck in the slot before finding Howard on the right side for a one-timer, netting his 19th of the season.

In the final minutes of the game, Team USA would add three more goals for an 9-0 final. Howard netted his second of the evening before defenseman Ryan Chesley (Mahtomedi, Minn.) picked up his third on the season on an assist from Marek Hejduk (Parker, Colo.). Finally, Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.) scored on a wrist shot from the point to bury their final goal.

Muszelik went the distance between the pipes for the Under-18 Team to record his second shutout of the season, making 22 saves on 22 shots in 60 minutes played.

The U18s are back in action for a midweek game, on the road, Wednesday, Feb. 23 against the Youngstown Phantoms with puck drop set for 10:00 a.m. ET. Two day later (Feb. 25), Team USA will host Green Bay at 7:00 p.m. ET. Both games can be seen on HockeyTV.

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