EAST LANSING, Mich. - Logan Lutner (Maple Grove, Minn.) dished out an assist and netted a goal against No. 3-ranked Michigan State but the U.S. National Under-18 Team fell to the Spartans, 4-2, this afternoon inside Munn Ice Arena.

AJ Garcia (Romeoville, Ill.) made it a tie game at 12:48 of the first to make things square headed into the locker room. Garcia obtained the puck from Lutner and skated through the neutral zone and dashed across the ice in the offensive zone. A shot from atop the faceoff circle flew through traffic and beat starting Michigan State netminder Melvin Strahl.

The Spartans controlled the second period as it recorded a pair of goals, the only goals scored in the middle period, with the opener at 4:32, followed by a power play goal at 8:33.

Michigan State kept it going in the third and scored in the opening five minutes, at 4:55, to take a 4-1 lead. Lutner cut into the lead to attempt a U.S. comeback and made it 4-2 at 17:08 on the power play. A battle behind the net produced a loose puck picked up by Lukas Zajic (Plainfield, Ill.) who found Lutner and snapped it into the back of the net.

The U.S. emptied its net but fell short against the Spartans, 4-2.

Carrithers turned aside 31 shots in 57:22 of game time.

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.