Tuesday, February 9, 2010

U.S. wins Six Nations opener

Press Release

MINSK, Belarus – Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa.) recorded a natural hat trick in the second period to help the U.S. National Under-18 Team knock off Finland, 5-2, here today at Sports Palace Minsk in its first game at the 2010 Under-18 Six Nations Cup.

Bill Arnold(Needham, Mass.) staked the U.S. to a 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the game after he picked up Frankie Simonelli's (Bensenville, Ill.) rebound and jammed it past netminder Sami Aittokallio. Team USA converted on a power-play opportunity when Austin Czarnik's (Washington, Mich.) shot deflected into the net at 4:37. Finland answered back with a pair of goals, the first coming from Teemu Rautiainen, who converted on a wraparound, at 8:12. With just 2:17 remaining, Teemu Pulkkinen put the puck past netminder Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) to tie the score with an unassisted goal.

Saad regained the lead for Team USA 4:48 into the second stanza, after knocking a rebound past Aittokallio. Saad doubled the U.S. advantage at 12:18 after he split the Finnish defense, broke in alone, deked to his forehand and tucked the puck past Aittokallio. With 3:15 remaining in the middle period, Czarnik connected with Saad, who wired a shot into the back of the net to make it 5-2.

Campbell stopped all 13 shots he faced in the final two frames to keep Finland off the board. The U.S. goaltender finished the game with 21 saves to earn the win.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team is back in action Wednesday when it meets host Belarus at 7 p.m. (noon EST).

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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