| Records win over Switzerland, 6-2, in tournament finale |
| VISP, Switzerland – William Whitelaw (Rosemount, Minn.) picked up two goals and an assist to lead the U.S. Under-17 Men’s Select team to a 6-2 win over host Switzerland here in the final game of the 2021 Five Nations Tournament.Team USA finished with a perfect 4-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record in the event and captured the tournament championship. “It was a great team effort the entire tournament,” said Bob Mancini, head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Men’s Select Team. “A tribute to the players and staff who came together in such short time to put up a worthy performance.” Opportunities came from both sides of the ice within the first five minutes of play. Dashel Oliver (Bloomington, Ind.) was the only one from either side to convert as he stole the puck in the neutral zone, and beat Swiss netminder Mattia Ferrari on a shorthanded chance from the slot at 4:47. Danny Nelson (Maple Grove, Minn.) doubled the U.S. lead 11:33 into the frame after an offensive zone faceoff win followed by a touch pass from Whitelaw. Tanner Adams (Northport, N.Y.) forced a defensive zone turnover to create a 2-on-0 shorthanded break and Adams shot far side with 2:33 left in the period to advance the U.S. lead to 3-0 after 20 minutes. Switzerland recorded its first goal of the game a little over halfway through the second, before Whitelaw scored off a rebound with 1:30 left to go in the middle frame and Team USA had a 4-1 advantage after two periods. The Swiss cut the lead to 4-2 early on in the final period but would get no closer. Nelson netted his second of the game from just over the blue line at 5:17 to make it 5-2 and Whitelaw scored the third shorthanded goal of the contest for the U.S. at 8:26 to account for the 6-2 final. Zach Ferris (Venetia, Pa.) picked up the win in the U.S. net. (USA Hockey Photo) |
