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U17s Fall to Minnesota Wilderness in NAHL Showcase

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 09/28/24, 8:15PM EDT

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JP Hurlbert scores first career goal

BLAINE, Mich. JP Hurlbert (Allen, Texas) scored his first career goal, but the U.S. National Under-17 Team dropped a 4-1 contest to the Minnesota Wilderness tonight inside the Super Rink to close the 2024 NAHL Showcase.

The Wilderness' Nate Murray potted one just shy of the halfway mark of the opening frame from the high slot to take a 1-0 lead, then Lucas Jendek doubled their lead :47 into the second, sending home a quick centering feed on the doorstep.

Box Score

The U.S. had a stellar chance at the 10:21 mark of the third as Brody George (Johnstown, Pa.) skated up the ice with Lukas Zajic (Plainfield, Ill.) and fed Zajic for a quick snipe, but Minnesota goaltender Niklas Erickson sprawled out for the save to keep the U.S. off the board.

Caleb Kim then made it a 3-0 game with 8:38 to play with some nifty stickwork from the slot.

Hurlbert finally broke through with 4:59 to play, grabbing the rebound of an initial chance by Logan Stuart (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and beating Erickson with a one-timer snipe.

Team USA pulled goaltender Joey Slavick (Westland, Mich.) for the extra attacker, but were unable to capitalize and a Wilderness empty-netter off the stick of River Freeman brought the final tally to 4-1.

The loss marked the close of the NAHL section of the U17s' schedule, as Team USA will compete in a weekend series against the Minnesota Elite League All-Star team next weekend at New Hope Ice Arena. Puck drops at 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday (Oct. 5).

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