DAWSON CREEK, B.C.. –The U.S. National Under-17 Team defeated Canada Red 9-1 in its exhibition game of the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Thursday night at Encana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.
Matthew Boldy (Millis, Mass.), Judd Caulfield (Grand Forks, N.D), and Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) all netted two goals while Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) tallied five points in the win.
Boldy opened the scoring, skating to the front of the net and putting the puck past the glove of Canada Red’s goaltender Luke Cavallin. Hughes picked up the assist on the goal.
U.S. goaltender, Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) made a few big saves to keep Canada Red scoreless through the majority of the first period.
Canada Red tied the game, and netted its lone goal, at 18:10 of the first period.
Boldy scored his second of the game at 3:49 of the second period, poking the puck into the net. Hughes and Owen Lindmark (Naperville, Ill.) tallied the assists.
Judd Caulfield (Grand Forks, N.D.) extended Team USA’s lead with help from Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Ill.) at 10:36 of the second period.
After Caulfield’s goal both teams switched goaltenders.
Caufield tallied his team-leading 14th goal of the year putting the puck in on a one-timer. Hughes picked up his third assist and Turcotte picked up his second assist on the goal.
John Beecher (Elmira, N.Y.) extended the Team USA’s lead, 5-1 at the 0:27 mark of the third period. Sean Farrell (Hopkinton, Mass.) passed the puck to the front of the net where Beecher buried it. Patrick Moynihan (Millis, Mass.) also added an assist on the goal.
Caulfield added his second of the game at the 9:10 mark with help from Michael Gildon (Plano, Texas).
Hughes netted his first goal of the game and fourth point of the night at 10:52 of the third period. Boldy picked up his third point of the night with the assist.
Danny Weight (Lattington, N.Y.) got in on the scoring at 16:52 of the third period. Ryan Siedem (Madison N.J.) picked up the assist.
Caufield netted his second of the game with help from Hughes and Boldy.
Knight ended the game with 11 saves before being replaced by Cameron Rowe (Wilmette, Ill.) who finished with 12 saves. Canada’s Cavallin and Tommy Da Silva ended the game with 37 combined saves.
The U.S. National Under-17 Team starts preliminary round games of the World Under-17 Challenge Sunday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. MST/ 9 p.m. ET against the Czech Republic.
