Western notched a pair of goals in the opening frame, the first just over five minutes into the game after Zach Nehring converted on a third-chance opportunity from the slot. Cole Crusberg-Roseen added to the lead with 5:55 to play in the period, sneaking a shot in glove-side past a screened Joey Slavick (Westland, Mich.) for a 2-0 lead. 

The U.S. had a great opportunity in the closing seconds of the first. Jacob Kvasnicka (Wayzata, Minn.) got in close and the second chance went right to Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) in the slot, but his shot was pushed aside as the opening 20 minutes came to a close at 2-0. 

Barnett put Team USA on the board during 4-on-4 action near the midway mark of the second period. After taking a pass from Garrett Lindberg (Moorhead, Minn.), Barnett went coast-to-coast and squeaked a shot past NTDP alum Cameron Rowe (2017-19), in net for the Broncos, to cut the U18 deficit to 2-1. 

While shorthanded in the back half of the third, Gallant created another great opportunity in the offensive zone, but ripped his shot off the post and out as the score remained. 

The Broncos restored the two-goal advantage and advanced it to three goals in a matter of 15 seconds late in the third period. Tristan Lemyre got the first one, firing one past Harrison Boettiger (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) on a 2-on-1 rush. On the ensuing possession Liam Valente went top shelf to extend the Western Michigan lead to 4-1 with 3:05 to play, a score that held until the final buzzer.