For the second consecutive day, it was an NTDP alum doing damage against the current USA team. This time it was Brendan McMorrow, who netted a pair of scores in the opening 20 minutes. First, he chipped a shortside backhand chance past Joey Slavick (Westland, Mich.) just shy of the halfway mark of the frame. McMorrow followed it up with his second of the afternoon, banging home a puck in the crease with 3:56 to play in the first. 

After the intermission, the U18s exploded for five straight goals in the middle period to take a big lead. Team USA cut the deficit in half less than two minutes in as Donny Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.) put a shot on net that got tied up in the crease. Landon Hafele (Fairbanks, Alaska) got a stick on it and chipped it up and over the shoulder of the goaltender for his fourth point in four games.

A great individual effort from LJ Mooney (West Mifflin, Pa.) brought the game back to even. He forced a Black Hawks defensive-zone turnover, wheeled around to lead a 2-on-1 and picked the five-hole for his first score of the season.

The U.S. took a lead off an absolute snipe from Murtagh at the top of the left faceoff circle. Bracco found Murtagh cross-ice, where the Boston University commit roofed one in the top corner for a 3-2 U18 lead.

A few minutes later, Will Horcoff (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) connected in front on a perfect redirection off a pretty feed from Conrad Fondrk (White Bear Lake, Minn.) along the boards.