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U18s Blank Michigan Warriors, 7-0, To Open Home Schedule

By USA Hockey, 09/13/14, 10:30PM EDT

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ANN ARBOR, MICH. - Christian Fischer (Wayne, Ill.) scored twice and added two assists, Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.) notched a goal and collected two helpers, and goaltender Luke Opilka (St. Louis, Mo.) turned in a 15-save shutout to help the U.S. National Under-18 Team defeat the North American Hockey League's Michigan Warriors, 7-0, here tonight at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

Fischer tallied back-to-back goals in a 4:25 span midway through the first period to help the U.S. jump out in front, 2-0. After one-timing a shot from the slot to open the scoring, Fischer collected his second of the contest from the same spot off a centering feed from Charles McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.) to double the U.S. lead. Troy Terry (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Tage Thompson (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) connected for power-play goals late in the period, widening the gap to 4-0 after one frame.

Neither team cracked the score sheet in the middle stanza before the U.S. buried three third-frame goals. Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y.) sent a rocket off the crossbar and in to make it 5-0 at 5:14. Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.) chipped in a backdoor pass from Luke Kunin (Chesterfield, Mo.) 13 seconds later, and Matthews closed the scoring at 10:34.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team is back in action Tuesday (Sept. 16) when it travels to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to play the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders at the United States Hockey League Fall Classic East. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live online at FASTHockey.com.

Notes

Team USA outshot the Warriors, 42-15 … The U.S. fired 70 total shots toward the net (11 blocked, 16 wide, 1 pipe) compared to 28 total shot attempts by Michigan (8 blocked, 5 wide) … Luke Opilka's 15-save performance earned him his first shutout as a member of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program ... Tage Thompson scored his first goal as a member of the NTDP in his first game ... Troy Terry also notched his first goal with the NTDP.

1. Auston Matthews, Team USA

2. Christian Fischer, Team USA

3. Luke Opilka, Team USA

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