U.S. downs Sweden at Six Nations

Press Release

MINSK, Belarus – Adam Clendening (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) notched a pair of goals to help the U.S. National Under-18 Team top Sweden, 4-1, here today in its third game at the 2010 Under-18 Six Nations Cup. With the victory, Team USA improved to 3-0-0-0 in tournament play and will meet Russia Saturday in a battle of the only unbeaten teams at the event.

Clendening gave Team USA the early 1-0 lead after he took a feed from Jason Zucker (Las Vegas, Nev.) and put the puck past netminder Johan Gustafsson at 12:16 of the first frame. U.S. goaltender Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) turned aside all seven shots he faced in the first 20 minutes to keep Team USA ahead.

Just 2:55 into the second period, Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) slid the puck over to Clendening who fired it past Gustafsson to give Team USA a two-goal lead. Merrill added a goal of his own at 13:23 to make it 3-0. Bryan Rust (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and Bill Arnold (Needham, Mass.) recorded assists on the play. Campbell made another seven saves to keep Sweden at bay.

With Team USA killing an early penalty, Johan Sundstrom put Sweden on the board 3:18 into the third stanza. Campbell made nine stops to thwart the relentless Swedish attack and Matthew Nieto (Long Beach, Calif.) tallied a shorthanded empty-net goal with just 1:04 remaining in regulation to ice the 4-1 victory for the U.S.

Campbell turned away 23 total shots to earn his second win at the Six Nations.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team takes on Russia Saturday at 5:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. EST) at Sports Palace Minsk.

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