PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Adam Scheel (Lakewood, Ohio) stopped 39-of-42 shots faced, but the U.S. National Under-17 Team fell to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 4-2, here tonight at USA Hockey Arena.

Team USA opened the scoring just past the nine-minute mark of the first frame when Graham Slaggert (South Bend, Ind.), stationed at the top of the Cedar Rapids crease, deflected a Josh Maniscalco (Perkiomenville, Pa.) point shot into the net. A little over two minutes later, the RoughRiders knotted the score, 1-1. The U.S. retook the lead when Logan Cockerill (Brighton, Mich.), sent a pass from along the left boards to Maniscalco for a go-ahead goal to close the period, 2-1, in USA's favor.

During the second stanza, Cedar Rapids knotted the score, 2-2. Scheel turned aside 20 chances to help keep the game deadlocked heading into the final frame.

The RoughRiders netted its third goal just 2:40 into the final session to take its first lead of the game. The teams traded chances throughout the rest of frame but Team USA was unable to notch the equalizer. With under three minutes to play, Cedar Rapids potted an empty-net goal for the 4-2 final score.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders play the second of back-to-back tilts tomorrow (March 5). Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., and the game will stream live on FASTHockey.com.