CRANBERRY TWP., Pa. - Jack Murtagh (East Greenbush, N.Y.) netted a pair of goals and three other skaters collected multiple points as the U.S. National Under-18 Team took down the Waterloo Black Hawks, 5-2, Sunday afternoon to close out the 2024 USHL Fall Classic. 

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.

Murtagh finished the five-goal middle frame with 17 ticks left, netting his second of the afternoon. Andrew O'Neill (Fargo, N.D.) won a puck battle up to Charlie Trethewey (Woodbine, Md.) at the right point. He put one on net that Murtagh got a stick on to make it a 5-2 contest after 40 minutes. 

Waterloo outshot the U18s by a 7-4 margin in the third period but neither side found the back of the net as the contest ended at 5-2. 

Slavick finished his game with 10 stops in the first period. Harrison Boettiger (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) came on and turned aside all 17 Black Hawks attempts he saw to pick up his first win of the season. 

The U18s return to USHL play next weekend as they travel to North Dakota for a pair of games against the Fargo Force. Friday night's puck drop is set for 8:05 p.m. ET from Scheels Arena in Fargo.