Berchild Nets Shootout Winner as U18s Sweep Dubuque

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

Berchild Nets Shootout Winner as U18s Sweep Dubuque

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 02/22/25, 10:15PM EST

Fondrk adds three points in 4-3 final

Photo by Rena Laverty

PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Mikey Berchild (Minnetonka, Minn.) scored the shootout winner and Conrad Fondrk (White Bear Lake, Minn.) had three points on the night as the U.S. National Under-18 Team topped the Dubuque Fighting Saints in a 4-3 shootout win tonight inside USA Hockey Arena.

The Fighting Saints opened the game's scoring for the second night in a row, as Heikki Ruohonen tipped on in from the back door with 3:32 left in the first.

Box Score

Highlights

Conrad Fondrk (White Bear Lake, Minn.) found the equalizer on a 5-on-3 just over a minute later, lasering a one-timer from the right dot after connecting with LJ Mooney (West Mifflin, Pa.) off a zone-draw win by Cole McKinney (Lake Forest, Ill.).

Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) nearly brought Team USA a lead with 9.2 ticks in the period with a chance from left circle, but the shot rang off crossbar.

The Fighting Saints regained the lead 5:42 into the middle frame with a Josh Giuliani power-play goal set up by NTDP alums Cole Spicer (2020-22) and Lucas Van Vliet (2022-24).

McKinney evened it once again with a power-play goal 7:39 into the final frame, grabbing his own rebound just outside the paint and slipping it five-hole past Fighting Saints goaltender Liam Beerman. Fondrk and Bracco earned helpers on the play.

The Fighting Saints took back the lead with a Cooper Dennis score along the goal line at 15:37.

The U.S. pulled Quinlan for the extra attacker and Fondrk capitalized, sending a rocket of a one-timer from the right dot off a pass from Donny Bracco to force overtime. Mooney earned an assist as well.

Neither team was able to score in the extra time to send the game to a shootout. Mooney and Berchild both scored to lock-in the win.

Patrick Quinlan (Kennett Square, Pa.) finished with 18 saves to register his 10th win of the season.

The U18s are back in action next Friday (Feb. 28) as they face the Madison Capitols. Puck drop is set for 8:05 p.m. ET from Bob Suter's Legacy20 Arena and the game can be streamed live on FloHockey.