U.S. Under-18 Select Team Falls to Russia, 6-5, in Shootout at 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament

Press Release


BRECLAV, Czech Republic - Alex Racino (Merrill, Wis.) and Cason Hohmann (Plymouth, Mich.) recorded a goal and an assist, but the U.S. Under-18 Select Team fell to Russia, 6-5, in a shootout here today at the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.


"I thought the team played with a lot of energy," said Tim Army, head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Select Team. "We came up short in the shootout, but still had several things that went well for us."


Team USA took a 1-0 lead with a five-on-three power-play goal 8:33 into the first period. Kevin Irwin's (Hinckley, Ohio) shot was redirected to John Gaudreau (Carney's Point, N.J.) in the slot. Gaudreau fired a shot over the glove of Russian goaltender Denis Perevozchikov for the score.


Seth Ambroz (New Prague, Minn.) increased the U.S. lead to 2-0 just 1:49 later with a shorthanded tally. Racino sent a pass down the slot to a racing Ambroz, who deked the goalie and slid the puck between Perevozchikov's pads.


After Russia made the score 2-1 early in the second period, the U.S. regained its two-goal lead at the 6:49 mark. Theo Di Pauli (Woodridge, Ill.) stole the puck away from a Russian defenseman in the high slot, before chipping it to Lukas Sutter (Whitefish, Mont.). Sutter then sent a pass to the top of the crease, where Racino redirected the puck into the net.


Russia drew even with the U.S., 3-3, early in the third period, but Sutter put Team USA back on top with a quick wrist shot through a screen. Cason Hohmann (Plymouth, Mich.) and Connor Murphy (Dublin, Ohio) collected assists on the play.


The U.S. answered back to yet another Russian goal when Brian Cooper (Anchorage, Alaska) connected with Hohmann on a long pass up the ice to the offensive blue line. Hohmann fired a wrist shot that trickled through the goalie, making the score 5-4. Russia scored the equalizer with just under five minutes remaining in regulation to force overtime.


After a scoreless extra frame, the game was decided in a shootout. Ambroz scored the lone tally for the U.S., but Russia emerged victorious in the fifth round.


The U.S. Under-18 Select Team will return to action tomorrow (Aug. 11) against Finland, in its final preliminary-round game at 9:30 a.m. EDT in Breclav, Czech Republic.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)