Photo by Rena Laverty
PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Charlie Pardue (Winnetka, Ill.) and Brodie Ziemer (Hutchinson, Minn.) found the back of the net for the U.S. National Under-18 Team, but they fell to the Niagara Purple Eagles by a 3-2 final in the shootout Thursday evening here at USA Hockey Arena.
The U18s kicked off the goal scoring with the lone lamp-lighter of the opening period off the stick of Pardue. After a great forecheck from Shane Vansaghi (St. Louis, Mo.), Pardue picked off a Niagara pass and quickly put his wrist-shot over the shoulder of Mitchell Day for a 1-0 lead at 14:33.
Highlights
The U18s had a plethora of big opportunities midway through the second stanza, but could not convert. Will Skahan (Woodbury, Minn.) was rejected from the slot by Day, Lucas Van Vliet (Livonia, Mich.) had a breakaway attempt while shorthanded but was stymied and Kamil Bednarik (Chicago, Ill.) sauced a beautiful feed for Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass.) that was denied all within a three-minute span.
Niagara took advantage as the Purple Eagles evened the score with a little more than two minutes to play in the period. Cole Mickel's point shot deflected off a Team USA stick and by U18 netminder Jack Parsons (Ithaca, N.Y.) to tie the game after 40 minutes.
U18 captain Brodie Ziemer (Hutchinson, Minn.) put the U18s back in front after he wired a wrister from the top of the right circle at 5:40 of the third. Skahan cleared the puck from the defensive zone around the boards to Stiga running the left lane. Once in the offensive zone, he dropped a quick pass to Ziemer, who finished top corner for his 14th score of the season and a 2-1 USA lead.
It was Niagara's captain, Jay Ahearn, who had the answer to even the score at 2-2 with 6:45 to play in regulation. He crashed the net and got a great back-door feed from Aron Jessli to tie the game.
With pressure on both ends in the final minutes of the third, neither side could convert as the game went to the extra session.
Logan Hensler (Woodbury, Minn.) took it end-to-end about 90 seconds into the 3-on-3 session, but his chip shot was shouldered away by Day and the game went to the skills competition.
In the shootout, Niagara's Noah Hackett was the only skater of six to light the lamp as the Purple Eagles claimed their second victory in two years over the NTDP.
Parsons stopped 24 of 26 attempts from Niagara on the night.
The U18s return to the ice a week from tonight as they host the Youngstown Phantoms at USA Hockey Arena. 2-for-$25 tickets are available by calling the USA Hockey Arena box office at 734-453-8400 or by visiting USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix.
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