ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Sammy Nelson (Maple Grove, Minn.) led the team with a pair of goals while Casey Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.) assisted on three tallies as the U.S. National Under-18 Team fell short against the No. 1-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines, 7-5, tonight inside Yost Ice Arena.

Wyatt Cullen (Moorhead, Minn.) responded before the opening buzzer sounded to cut into the Wolverines deficit. After a battle in the neutral zone, the puck squeaked out to Mikey Berchild (Minnetonka, Minn.) as a 2-on-1 followed. Cullen dashed on the wing and finished off Berchild's pass through starting Wolverine netminder Stephen Peck.

Michigan was first to strike in the middle frame to make it 5-1 at 8:56. Team USA's deficit was cut to three once again, this time off the tape of Nelson. Parker Trottier (Edina, Minn.) corralled an arrant pass and pushed it up to Nelson with no one but Mutryn by his side. Two-on-zero, the two made a few passes before Mutryn fed Nelson and ripped one past Peck at 13:10. 

The Wolverines responded on the power play to regain its four-goal lead, but once again, Nelson answered :12 second later to make it 6-3. Tic-tac-toe passing was displayed between Mutryn, Trottier and Nelson as Nelson snuck behind the last line of defense and finished off a feed from Trottier.

Nelson's goal sparked three-straight from the U.S. as Victor Plante (Hermantown, Minn.) made it 6-4 at 18:04 on the power play. Jamie Glance (Stratham, N.H.) found Plante atop the faceoff dot before he lasered one and found twine for his team-leading 16th goal of the year.

Berchild capped off the three straight and made it a one-goal game, at 6-5, after 40 minutes of play 1:30 after Plante's tally. Cullen skated around the goal line with the puck before he found Dayne Beuker (Portland, Ore.) who fired one at the pads of Peck. His shot fell to the tape of Berchild on the crease and lit the lamp.

The U.S. emptied its net with 2:08 to go for one final push, but the Wolverines found the back of the net for the 7-5 final.

Luke Carrithers (Maple Grove, Minn.) started in net for Team USA and turned aside 28 shots.

Team USA heads to East Lansing, Mich., tomorrow as it'll face the Michigan State Spartans inside Munn Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m. ET.

The U18s are back at USA Hockey Arena next Friday (Jan. 9) as it'll host Adrian to start its final home Kroger College Series weekend. 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.