U.S. Falls to Canada Red in U17 Challenge Opener

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

U.S. Falls to Canada Red in U17 Challenge Opener

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 11/04/24, 10:00PM EST

Team USA continues play tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. ET

Photo by Thomas Skrlj/Hockey Canada Images.

SARNIA, Ontario - Luke Carrithers (Maple Grove, Minn.) made 31 saves, but the U.S. National Under-17 Team dropped its first preliminary round game of the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge tonight inside Progressive Auto Sales Arena to Canada Red by a 6-3 count.

The Canadians scored three times in the first period to open the contest. Alex McLean got one from the point 1:05 in, Pierce Mbuyi added a second with power-play tally at 7:37, then Alessandro Di Iorio made it 3-0 with 1:32 on the clock.

Box Score

2024 WU17HC

Plante got the U.S. on the board with 7 seconds left in the period, accepting a dish from Mutryn just outside the paint. AJ Francisco (Hermantown, Minn.) earned a helper on the play as well.

A one-timer on the doorstep from Mutryn cut Team USA's deficit to one just 23 seconds into the middle frame. Plante stole the puck off a Canadian's stick in the neutral zone and fed it a backhand pass Lukas Zajic (Plainfield, Ill.) who slid it Mutryn for the finish.

Luke Schairer (Charlotte, N.C.) had a great chance to knot things late in the period with a laser from the point, but his shot rang off the crossbar.

Joe Iginla made it a 4-2 game with 4:06 left in the period, but Dayne Beuker (Portland, Ore.) responded just 39 seconds later. Logan Stuart (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) fed him a no-look pass after JP Hurlbert (Allen, Texas) forced a turnover, and Beuker fired from the high slot.

The U.S. pulled Luke Carrithers (Maple Grove, Minn.) for the extra attacker with 1:19 to play, but Canada Red scored twice on the empty net to bring the final score to 6-3. Carrithers finished with 31 saves.

Mutryn was named the U.S. player of the game.

Team USA continues preliminary round play in the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge tomorrow against Finland. Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m. ET from the Progressive Auto Sales Arena and can be streamed live here.