skip navigation
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) put up two points and Team USA held a 27-23 advantage on shots, but the U.S. National Under-17 Team fell here tonight inside the Covelli Centre to the Youngstown Phantoms by a 5-3 count.
Jack Murtagh (East Greenbush, N.Y.) was the first to score, striking just 3:37 into the contest. Asher Barnett (Wilmette, Ill.) collected the puck at the USA blue line and fed it along the boards to Moore who snapped it to Murtagh. The future Boston University terrier skated into the high slot, toe dragged around two Phantoms defenders, and ripped a shot glove-side past Youngstown goaltender Aiden Wright.
Moore doubled the U.S. lead with a goal of his own just shy of the period's halfway mark. Cole McKinney (Lake Forest, Ill.) scooped up the puck in the U.S. zone after a failed Youngstown passing attempt and sent a drop pass to Donny Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.), who found Moore in the high slot for the finish.
Andrew O'Neill (Fargo, N.D.) added a third to Team USA's tally 2:17 into the second stanza. Will Belle (Minnetonka, Minn.) fed Garrett Lindberg (Moorhead, Minn.) with a stretch pass to take the puck to the offensive zone. Lindberg sent it back to a waiting Belle down low, who dished it to O'Neill on the goal line to make it a 3-0 game.
The Phantoms got on the board with an Evan Jardine tally from the hashmarks 4:17 later, then a power-play goal from NTDP alum Charlie Cerrato made it a 3-2 game heading into the final frame.
A Nathan Lewis redirect 34 seconds into the third knotted the game at 3-3.
Jardine added a fourth on the power play with 9:34 left in the game to give the Phantoms a 4-3 lead.
An empty net marker from Adam Pietila brought the final score to 5-3.
Harrison Boettiger (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) finished with 18 saves in the U.S. net.
The U17s are back at USA Hockey Arena tomorrow, April 13 as they close out their season with a tilt against the Youngstown Phantoms. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET and tickets are available at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix or by calling the box office at 734-453-8400.