The U.S. Under-17 Select Team defeated the Czech Republic, 5-2, at the 2013 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament today on goals by five different players and 21 stops by goaltender Kris Oldham(Anchorage, Alaska).
“We knew we had great scoring depth, and we were able to prove that tonight,” said head coach Pat Mikesch. “[Scoring depth] is very important in a short tournament. We used our speed very well tonight to create chances in transition. The second period penalty kill followed by the goal was the difference in a very tight game.”
After a scoreless first period in which Team USA held a 12-3 advantage in shots, Thomas Novak (River Falls, Wis.) got the U.S. on the board 9:05 into the middle period when he gathered a puck on a 2-on-1 and fired a perfectly placed shot in the top corner of the net.
Team USA doubled its lead at 14:54 of the second when Austin Alger (Livonia, Mich.) skated past a Czech defenseman and scored on a shot to the stick-side. Then, just after the U.S. killed off a Czech 5-on-3, Zachary Osburn (Plymouth, Mich.) made it 3-0 when he netted a backhander from the slot at 17:54.
William D’Orsi (Sudbury, Mass.) and Brock Boeser (Burnsville, Minn.) recorded third-period tallies for the United States. D’Orsi’s goal came on a redirection of a pass from Osburn at 7:10. Following a pair of Czech goals to make it 4-2, Boeser closed the scoring at 14:40 when he won a race to a loose puck and made a nice move to beat the Czech goaltender before finding the back of the net.
The U.S. Under-17 Select Team will continue play in the Five Nations Tournament tomorrow when it squares off with Switzerland at 8:00 a.m. ET.
For a complete roster, click here.
For complete Under-17 Five Nations Tournament coverage, click here.
