Both teams were held off the board in the opening 20 minutes but it was not for lack of opportunity. Boettiger saw 14 shots in the opening frame, turning them all away. Will Belle (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) had the best opportunities for the U18s near the midway mark, but both were denied by Force goalie Alan Lendak. 

Fargo lit the lamp first after a generous call granted them a power play early in the second. NTDP alum Sam Laurila found a streaking Peter Cisar, who outwaited Boettiger before dumping it in for a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the period.

Team USA had an extended 5-on-3 power play midway through the second and peppered the net with shots, but could not put one past Lendak.

Boettiger made his save of the night with 6:36 to play in the second. Brady Arneson ended up with the puck alone in the slot and tried to play the hesitation game, but the Denver University commit stayed with him and robbed Arneson's attempt with his glove to keep it 1-0. 

After Team USA was drilled with a major penalty in the third, Landon Hafele (Fairbanks, Alaska) evened the score while shorthanded. He beat Laurila in a puck race along the boards, cut to the center and flipped his shot short-side, top-shelf over the shoulder of Lendak for his fourth score of the young season.