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Game Day: USA vs. Atlantic (Prelim Round)

By USA Hockey, 12/31/13, 8:00AM EST

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Today's Contest

The U.S. National Under-17 Team will skate in its fourth game in as many days when it faces Canada's Team Atlantic today. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Team USA is coming off a 14-1 victory over Germany that brought its record to 2-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L). Atlantic dropped its first contest of the tournament, 5-1, to Ontario.

Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y.) and Luke Kirwan (Dewitt, N.Y.) each recorded hat tricks as Team USA dismantled Germany yesterday at the Emera Centre Northside. Twelve players recorded multi-point efforts and 16 players registered at least one point in the victory. Luke Opilka (St. Louis, Mo.) stopped 16 shots for the U.S. in his first appearance in the preliminary round.

Netminder Troy Timpano and Canada's Team Ontario held Atlantic scoreless until 14:00 into the third period and scored five teams to top its opponent. Graham Knott potted two goals and Blake Speers collected two assists in the win for Ontario. Dylan Strome contributed with a goal and an assist. Nicholas Welsh scored the lone goal for Atlantic.

(Cover photo courtesy of Derek Leung/Hockey Canada Images)

Match-Up History

The last time these two squads met was just over a year ago in Victoriaville, Quebec. Six different players scored goals and Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) had one goal and added two assists, as the U.S. National Under-17 Team earned a 6-3 win over Canada's Team Atlantic. Team USA scored three power-play goals and outshot Atlantic, 46-23, in the preliminary round on Dec. 30, 2012. Nathan Billitier (Spencerport, N.Y.), Ryan Collins (Bloomington, Minn.), Jared Fiegl (Parker, Colo.), Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Austin Poganski (St. Cloud, Minn.) were the other goal scorers for Team USA.

News and Notes

  • Luke Kirwan leads all skaters in the tournament with six points (3-3) in two games. Teammates Colin White (Hanover, Mass./3-1), Joseph Masonius (Spring Lake, N.J./0-4) and Jack Roslovic (Columbus, Ohio/0-4) are all tied for third with four points each. Additionally, Masonius' and Roslovic's four assists are tournament bests.
  • Jordan Greenway, Kirwan and White share the tournament lead in goals scored with three each in two games.
  • Michael Lackey (Washington, D.C.) and Luke Opilka are among four goalies posting a 1.00 goals-against average. Only Ontario's Ben Blacker ranks higher (0.00 GAA).
  • Team USA ranks tied for second on the power play (33.3%), while coming in at fourth on the penalty kill (92.9%).
  • Team USA claimed third place in last year's tournament after back-to-back second place finishes (2011, 2012). The U.S. won the tournament in 2010 and has now placed in the top three for seven consecutive years (2006, 2008-13). No tournament was held in 2007.
  • The U.S. enters the tournament having captured first place three times (2001-02, 2010) and second place four times (1999, 2008, 2011-12).
  • All 22 players on the roster come from the U.S. National Under-17 Team that is part of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
  • The 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge includes two pools of five teams. Pool A consists of teams from the Czech Republic, Pacific, Quebec, Sweden and West. Pool B consists of teams from Atlantic, Germany, Ontario, Russia and the United States.
  • Follow @USAHockeyScores on Twitter for live scoring updates during the tournament. Scores will be designated with #WU17.
  • For additional coverage, visit the NTDP Facebook page and follow @USANTDP on Twitter.
  • The U.S. National Under-17 Team trains with The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary software program that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com.

Yesterday's Results

Czech Republic 5 Quebec 1
Centre 200, Sydney, N.S.
The Czech Republic broke a 1-1 tie heading into the final frame, scoring four unanswered goals in the third, to claim a 5-1 victory over Canada's Team Quebec. Roman Dymacek netted two goals, while David Kase, Simon Stransky and Josef Zajic chipped in with single tallies. Anthony Beauvillier scored the lone goal for Quebec.

Germany 1 USA 14
Emera Centre Northside, North Sydney, N.S.

Ontario 5 Atlantic 1
Centre 200, Sydney, N.S.

Pacific 6 West 3
Emera Centre Northside, North Sydney, N.S.
Canada's Team Pacific scored four goals in the first period, while allowing just one, and never looked back en route to a 6-3 win over Canada's Team West. Matteo Gennaro led the way for Pacific with two goals and one assist, while teammate Giorgio Estephan tallied one goal and added one assist. Colton Conrad netted two goals for West in the losing effort.
 

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