AROSA, Switzerland — Jacob McGrew (Orange, Calif.) scored the overtime game-winner and Brannon McManus (Newport Beach, Calif.) notched two power-play goals as the U.S. Under-17 Select Team topped Slovakia, 4-3, here today at the 2015 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament.
“We took too many penalties, but we controlled the play when playing at even strength,” said Pat Boller (Queens, N.Y.), head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Select Team. “The guys stuck together, picked each other up and got it done in the end. It was a gutty win against a strong Slovakian team.”
Slovakia opened the scoring during a five-on-three power-play opportunity with 3:02 remaining in the first period before connecting again 1:39 into the second stanza on another five-on-three advantage for a 2-0 lead.
Then, with 7:52 to play in the second period, Team USA’s Mick Messner (Madison, Wis.) walked into the middle and scored low on the blocker side to cut Slovakia’s lead in half.
McManus tallied his first power-play goal of the game at 7:01 of the third frame to even the score at 2-2. Eight minutes later, he connected again when he finished a cross-ice feed from Reilly Walsh (Andover, N.H.) to give the U.S. a 3-2 lead.
Slovakia answered late in the third period, converting on another five-on-three to force overtime.
At 3:06 of the extra stanza, Messner won a faceoff in the Slovakian zone and sent the puck back to Tommy Miller (West Bloomfield, Mich.), whose shot rang off the post and rebounded to McGrew who put it home to seal the 4-3 win for Team USA.
Cayden Primeau (Voorhees, N.J.) stopped 19 of 22 shots in the U.S. triumph.
The U.S. Under-17 Select Team will continue competition when it faces Switzerland at 1:30 p.m. ET tomorrow (Aug. 15).
Notes: Full statistics from today’s game can be found here … For complete coverage of the U.S. Under-17 Select Team, including schedule and full results, click here … Along with the U.S., the 2015 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament includes teams from Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland.
