U.S. Tops Finland, 5-3, to Advance to U17 Challenge Quarters

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

U.S. Tops Finland, 5-3, to Advance to U17 Challenge Quarters

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 11/05/24, 6:15PM EST

Nelson, Plante with three points apiece

Photo by Thomas Skrlj/Hockey Canada Images

SARNIA, Ontario - Sammy Nelson (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Victor Plante (Hermantown, Minn.) each tallied three points as the U.S. National Under-17 Team skated to a 5-3 win over Finland in its final preliminary round game of the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge today inside Progressive Auto Sales Arena.

The U.S. struck first with a power-play tally at the hands of Lukas Zajic (Plainfield, Ill.), who potted a rebound off an initial shot by Casey Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.) 2:52 into the game. Luke Schairer (Charlotte, N.C.) earned an assist as well.

Box Score

2024 WU17HC

Nelson doubled the U.S. lead with a shorthanded tally at 9:08, intercepting a Finnish clearing attempt atop the zone and feeding Plante, who returned the puck to Nelson for a quick one-timer.

AJ Garcia (Romeoville, Ill.) made it 3-0 just shy of the period's halfway mark with another shorthanded marker, connecting with Luke Schairer (Charlotte, N.C.) for his first of the tournament.

The Finns got on the board with 4:05 left in the period with a score from Olli Wahlroos.

The U.S. scored its third shorty of the night just 1:07 into the middle frame as Nelson notched his second with a breakaway rip after Plante stole the puck of a Finnish skater's stick and connected with Nelson just outside the defensive zone.

Finland cut the U.S. lead in half with a Luka Arkko power-play goal at 7:44, then came within one as Eelis Uronen made it a 4-3 game just 19 seconds later.

The Finns pulled Oskari Ahmajärvi from net for the extra attacker, but Zajic put the game on ice with an empty-netter with 1:02 left in the contest.

Keanan Smith (Duluth, Minn.) finished with 26 saves to pick up his first international win. Plante was named the U.S. player of the game.

Team USA will face Czechia in the quarterfinals of the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge on Thursday (Nov. 7) at 3:30 p.m. from the Progressive Auto Sales Arena. The game can be streamed live here.