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U18s Win Fourth Straight, Top Storm 7-5

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 01/11/25, 9:30PM EST

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Moore records hat-trick as Team USA sweeps Storm


Photo by Rena Laverty

PLYMOUTH, Mich. Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) netted his second career NTDP hat-trick and four other skaters added multiple points as the U.S. National Under-18 Team weathered the Tri-City Storm by a 7-5 final Saturday evening at USA Hockey Arena.

Team USA kept momentum after Friday night’s win, setting the tone with back-to-back goals in the opening frame. First, Victor Plante (Hermantown, Minn.) got the puck deep on the forecheck and fed it to Jake Stuart (Manhattan Beach, Calif.). He wheeled it from behind the net and found Drew Schock (Green Bay, Wis.), who fired it from the top of the circle for his fourth goal of the season.

Box Score

Highlights

Just 45 seconds later, Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) tallied the second of the game for the U18s. After stealing the puck on an attempted Storm breakout, he walked into the high slot and rifled it past Kyle Jones on the glove side for the unassisted goal and 2-0 lead.

Tri-City got two quick goals of their own to begin the middle period. Coming out of the penalty box, Cam Briere capitalized on a breakaway to get the Storm on the board at 2:55 of the second. Moments later, Artemi Nizameyev gained the puck off a turnover and threw a backhand shot towards the net to tie the game at two less than four minutes into the frame. 

Team USA regained the lead minutes later on a second-chance opportunity in front. Mikey Berchild (Minnetonka, Minn) got the puck at the blue line, wristing the initial shot on goal. On the rebound, Moore tipped it over to a crashing Donny Bracco (Freeport N.Y.) with a wide open net for the defenseman's first marker of the season.

After Tri-City's Easton Pace brought the game back to even again, Team USA answered with two more in a minute span to take a 5-3 lead after 40 minutes. Bracco led a 3-on-2 rush into the zone, slid it over to Jacob Kvasnicka (Wayzata, Minn.) in the slot, who set up Moore perfectly, going top shelf over the blocker to put the U18s back on top.

Team USA got the quick insurance marker just a minute later. After a Jack Murtagh (East Greenbush, N.Y.) pass led to a scramble in front, Stuart shot a laser on net that beat Jones, giving the NTDP a two-goal cushion going into the final period.

Moore made it three in a row for the home team 6:29 into the third period. After Schock lifted the puck on goal, Moore chased the rebound, punching home the loose puck for his second of the game.

Late in the third, Tri-City crept right back into the contest, getting two goals in 20 seconds to bring the score back to 6-5. The first was a power-play tally from Attila Lippai and he followed shortly after for his second when Jones was pulled for an extra attacker. 

With the Storm cage empty, Moore found his third of the night with 1:41 to play in regulation, with an assist from Will Belle (Minnetonka, Minn.) on the game's final goal. 

Harrison Boettiger (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) made 27 saves to pick up wins on back-to-back nights, his sixth win of the season.

The U18s finish their weekend trio tomorrow afternoon as they host the Green Bay Gamblers. Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m. ET and tickets are available at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix or by calling the box office at 734-453-8400.

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