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Photo by Rena Laverty
PLYMOUTH, Mich. - The U.S. National Under-18 Team used six unanswered goals and three points apiece from Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) and Jack Murtagh (East Greenbush, N.Y.) to win their fifth consecutive game, a 6-3 final over the Green Bay Gamblers, Sunday afternoon at USA Hockey Arena.
The Gamblers got out to a fast start with a Will Zellers hat-trick in the opening frame. He opened scoring at 4:39 with a shot from the top of the left circle that trickled in. The North Dakota commit followed up with a backhand through the five-hole off a U.S. defensive-zone turnover and completed the trifecta on a second-chance opportunity with 1:51 to play in the period.
Just past the halfway mark of the contest, Murtagh put the U18s on the board during 4-on-4 action. Asher Barnett (Wilmette, Ill.) worked the puck up along the boards to Gallant (Concord, Mass.). He found Murtagh on the back door, who converted for his 12th score of the season.
Less than three minutes later, Team USA cut the deficit to one when Gallant snuck one in on a one-touch redirection in front. Donny Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.) sent the centering feed, while Jake Stuart (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) added the secondary assist to give both skaters points in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
The Under-18 Team knotted it up before the close of the second period as Jacob Kvasnicka (Wayzata, Minn.) netted shorthanded. Will Belle (Minnetonka, Minn.) had a great opportunity earlier in the kill, and then started the score by chipping the puck up ice for Kvasnicka. He found Drew Schock (Green Bay, Wis.), who delayed and returned the puck to Kvasnicka to make it 3-3 after 40 minutes.
Stuart made it back-to-back multi-point efforts when he put the U.S. ahead at 3:17 of the first. From the left point, Evertt Baldwin (Providence, R.I.) found Victor Plante (Hermantown, Minn.) at the left circle. He pushed it to Stuart in the slot, who rifled it over the glove of Gavin Moffat for a 4-3 U18 lead.
Charlie Trethewey (Woodbine, Md.) doubled the advantage with a rocket on the power play at 9:50 of the third. After an errant Bracco attempt, Murtagh collected and passed off to Trethewey. The defenseman toured the offensive zone before he picked his spot from the top of the right circle and delivered to make it 5-3.
Team USA doubled up the visitors on Gallant's second of the afternoon with 6:12 to play in regulation. LJ Mooney (West Mifflin, Pa.) put his name on the score sheet as he started the play up to Murtagh, who spurred Gallant into the offensive zone alone where he finished through the five-hole for the game's final tally.
U.S. netminder Patrick Quinlan (Kennett Square, Pa.) made 21 saves on the afternoon in his first game action in over a month to even his season-long record at 6-6-0.
The U18s play next on Thursday evening at USA Hockey Arena in the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game, featuring the U18 roster and the top draft-eligible USHL talent mixed between two teams. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET and tickets are available by calling the box office at 734-453-8400. The game will broadcast live on NHL Network.