GRAND FORKS, N.D. - James Sanchez (Northbrook, Ill.) scored one goal but the U.S. National Under-18 Team dropped a 4-1 decision to the University of North Dakota here tonight at Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks came in as the No. 1-ranked team in the latest USCHO.com DI Men's Poll and No. 2 in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine Poll.

North Dakota opened the scoring just 22 seconds into the contest, knocking a pad-save rebound into the net. Just over a minute later, a long shot found daylight through traffic to light the lamp for the Fighting Hawks. North Dakota's third goal came on a blast from the middle of the attacking zone and sent starter Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) to the bench.

The Fighting Hawks pushed their lead to 4-0 in the second period when a play off the sideboards led to a cross-ice pass for a tip in at the side of goal. Team USA responded on the power play when Trent Frederic (St. Louis, Mo.) spun around and found Sanchez in the right faceoff circle. Sanchez clanked it in for the score. Graham McPhee (Bethesda, Md.) also assisted on the play.

Neither team found the back of the net in the third period as the U.S. fell, 4-1, to North Dakota. Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo.) stopped all seven shots faced in the third period and 18 total in relief of Oettinger.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team heads back on the road next weekend when they take on the United States Hockey League's Waterloo Black Hawks in back-to-back games Jan. 15-16. The contests can be caught live at FASTHockey.com.