Photo by Rena Laverty
PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Drew Schock (Green Bay, Wis.) led the way with a goal and two assists and the U.S. National Under-17 Team battled to the end, but were unable to complete the comeback and fell, 6-5, to the Sioux City Musketeers on Friday evening at USA Hockey Arena.
Sioux City opened the game with a trio of goals early in the first. Hagen Burrows gave the Musketeers a 1-0 lead with a quick deflection on the powerplay 2:53 into the game, then Tate Pritchard added a second 37 seconds later from the high slot.
Back on the power play, Brian Nicholas gave the Musketeers a three goal lead with a quick redirect at the 7:35 mark.
Andrew O'Neill (Fargo, N.D.) got the U.S. on the board with 9:24 to play in the period. Lincoln Kuehne (West Fargo, N.D.) connected with Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) along the boards, who sent the puck into the Sioux City zone to a streaking O'Neill. He outskated two Musketeer defensemen and beat goaltender Jakub Krbecek with a sneaky forehand, backhand move for his first of the season.
Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) added a second for Team USA just 36 seconds later. Landon Hafele (Fairbanks, Alaska) found Schock above the left circle and Schock fired at the net. Moore got a stick on it to tip home the redirection, making it a one-goal game to start the second.
Highlights
LJ Mooney (West Mifflin, Pa.) found the equalizer just 2:55 into the second. Jack Murtagh (East Greenbush, N.Y.) picked the puck off the stick off a Sioux City defender on a clearing attempt and skated along the right wing. He found a waiting Mooney at the bottom of the right circle, who got the shot off from his knees to tie the game.
Max Strand regained the Musketeers' lead at the period's 6:13 mark off a turnover, then Ty Hanson made things 5-3 with 8:32 to play in the period.
A power-play goal from Schock brought the U.S. within one with to close the second. Cole McKinney (Lake Forest, Ill.) chipped the puck free along the boards and Moore found Schock at the top of the zone, who skated in and ripped a shot from the left circle with just 27 seconds to play in the second.
Ethan Gardula and Burrows connected on net-front passing play at the 7:09 mark of the third to add one more for the Musketeers.
Team USA netminder Harrison Boettiger (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) headed to the bench with 2:43 left in the game and the U.S. capitalized. Schock sent a rocket towards the net through traffic and the puck bounced off the shin of McKinney with 1:28 left in the game, but the U.S. was unable to find the back of the net again and dropped the decision, 6-5.
Boettiger backstopped Team USA, finishing with 18 saves.
The U17s are back in action tomorrow night for a rematch against the Musketeers. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. from USA Hockey Arena and tickets are available at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix or by calling the box office at 734-453-8400.
Latest News
All 19 Draft-Eligible Players Named to Final Central Scouting Rankings
- By USA Hockey's NTDP 04/16/2024, 11:30am EDT
U17s Fall To Youngstown in Season Finale, 4-3
- By USA Hockey's NTDP 04/13/2024, 9:30pm EDT
Feature Stories
NTDP Players Still Remember the Joy of Winning a National Title
- By Becky Olsen 04/01/2024, 10:00am EDT
NTDP’s Coaching Development on Full Display with Current Staff
- By Becky Olsen 03/05/2024, 12:15pm EST