Team USA netted the first of the evening from Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) less than five minutes into the contest. After gaining possession in the defensive zone, Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale, Ill.) quickly worked it up to Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.) in the neutral zone. He fed Leonard who worked around the defenseman and fired his shot to the far side of the cage for the early lead. Smith's assist extended his point streak to 15, adding another onto his NTDP record for longest streak to start a season. 

Youngstown answered a few minutes later when Tyler Catalano finished on a third-chance opportunity after a scrum in front of the USA cage to tie the game at one goal apiece.

Before the close of the period, Leonard had a fantastic chance to regain the lead, but rang his backhand shot off the left post after a beautiful set-up from Smith and Perreault. 

The Under-18 Team did eventually go back on top when Danny Nelson (Maple Grove, Minn.) scored for the fifth straight game just past the midway mark of the second. Will Vote (Arlington, Mass.) drove a 3-on-1 down the left wing and took the initial shot on net. Jacob Fowler made the first save but Nelson was on the doorstep to continue his goal streak and take a 2-1 lead. 

The U18s kept that lead into the second break thanks to some incredible goaltending from Trey Augustine (South Lyon, Mich.), who entered the game at the halfway mark, and a tremendous penalty kill. After the U.S. was called for three penalties in short order, Augustine shut out the Youngstown attack, including a great right-to-left save on a one-timer from the right circle. 

Team USA doubled the lead to 3-1 off yet another pretty play from Perreault and Smith. Kai Janviriya (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) picked up a puck below the goal line and flipped a quick pass to Smith heading up the center. He gave the rubber to Perreault into the offensive zone, who returned the puck to Smith. While being hooked, Smith centered it back to Perreault who banged it home for his 11th goal of the season.