U18s Down League Leaders Dubuque, 4-3

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

U18s Down League Leaders Dubuque, 4-3

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 02/21/25, 9:30PM EST

McKinney scores twice, adds assist; Boettiger makes 35 saves

Photo by Rena Laverty

PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Harrison Boettiger (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) made 35 stops in an unreal performance and Cole McKinney (Lake Forest, Ill.) scored twice and added an assist to lift the U.S. National Under-18 Team to a 4-3 win over USHL leaders Dubuque.

The Fighting Saints struck first, just 1:53 into the game, as a Teddy Merrill shot from the slot flew into the net.

Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) found the response only a minute later, using some crafty stick work on the doorstep to beat goaltender Jan Spunar. Conrad Fondrk (White Bear Lake, Minn.) worked the puck free in a Dubuque clearing attempt for Donny Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.), who found a waiting Moore to even the score.

Box Score

Highlights

McKinney put Team USA on top at the 5:24 mark, getting a stick on a beam from Lincoln Kuehne (West Fargo, N.D.) for the deflection. Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) got the play started, working the puck along the left boards to feed set-up Kuehne.

McKinney scored his second of the night 12:35 into the middle frame, picking up his own rebound to put the U.S. up by two after Gallant had a chance on net as well. Jack Murtagh (East Greenbush, N.Y.) picked up the secondary, stealing the puck from a Dubuque forward along the left wing.

A Josh Giuliani power-play strike from the high slot brought the Fighting Saints back within one at 14:55. NTDP alums Cole Spicer (2020-22) and Lucas Van Vliet (2022-24) earned assists on the goal.

Drew Schock (Green Bay, Wis.) put the U18s back up by two with just 15 seconds left in the period, finishing a centering feed from Murtagh after McKinney put on a class in puck protection for his third point of the night.

Spicer cut Team USA's lead to one with a power-play goal 3:01 into the final frame amid a scramble net front.

The Fighting Saints pulled Spunar with 1:16 to pay for the extra skater, but failed to convert for the 4-3 final.

The two teams are back at it tomorrow night from USA Hockey Arena as USA Hockey celebrates the 45th anniversary of the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games with Miracle on Ice Night. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET and tickets are available at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix or by calling the box office at 734-453-8400.