"Full credit to Canada White for their three-goal win tonight," Seth Appert, head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 Team, said. "Their special teams and goaltending were outstanding. We came out a little over-excited and ran around early, but I was really proud of how well we played in the second and third periods and how we stayed together through adversity and didn't go into individualistic hockey."

After Team USA went on the penalty kill 18 seconds into the game, Canada’s Jake Neighbours found the back of the net to open the scoring.

Ty Smilanic (Elizabeth, Colo.) put the U17s on the board when he buried a centering feed from Brett Berard (East Greenwich, R.I.) at the 6:20 mark of the first period.

However, Canada White managed to take advantage of two more power-play opportunities in the first to regain the lead 17 seconds before the break.

Sound play in its own zone allowed Team USA to limit Canada White to just four shots on goal in the second period, although Connor McClennon extended the advantage to 4-1. McClennon later added his third goal of the game to complete the hat trick.

The U17s generated significant offensive-zone time in the second period but could cut into the deficit against Canada White goaltender Sebastian Cossa.

Smilanic recorded his second goal of the game in the opening minute of the final frame when he finished a 2-on-1 with Dylan Peterson (Roseville, Calif.).

Goaltender Colin Purcell (Shaker Heights, Ohio) earned the start in net for Team USA and stopped 19 of 24 shots.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team returns to the ice Tuesday (Nov. 6) against Canada Black. Puck drop is set for 3:30 p.m. AT/2:30 p.m. ET.

NOTES: Ty Smilanic (Elizabeth, Colo.) collected the Player of the Game honor for Team USA ... All preliminary-round games, as well as quarterfinals and placement games, will be available via live stream on HockeyCanada.ca/WU17 … TSN will broadcast both semifinals, as well as the bronze- and gold-medal games in Canada … the official tournament website found here … The Team USA homepage for the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge can be found here … The 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge includes two groups of four teams. Group A features Canada Black, Canada White, the Czech Republic, and the United States, while Group B includes Canada Red, Finland, Russia, and Sweden ... Follow @USAHockeyNTDP on Twitter for tournament updates and join the conversation on social media by using #WorldU17 … Seth Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn.) will lead the U.S. National Under-17 Team along with associate coach Nick Fohr (Grand Forks, N.D.), intern assistant coach Jared Nightingale (Jackson, Mich.) and goaltending coach Thomas Speer (Janesville, Wis.).