RAUMA, Finland – Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minn.) scored one goal and added two assists as the U.S. National Under-18 Team bested the Czech Republic, 5-2, here today in 2016 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament action. Team USA concludes the event with a 2-0-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record and finishes fourth.
Patrick Khodorenko (Walnut Creek, Calif.) scored first for the U.S. at 17:09 of the opening frame. James Sanchez (Northbrook, Ill.) and Keenan Suthers (Macomb, Mich.) collected assists on the lone tally of the period.
The U.S. lead doubled off the stick of Joey Anderson (Roseville, Minn.) just 26 seconds into the second stanza. Bellows assisted. Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.) lit the lamp midway through the period to increase the U.S. lead to 3-0. Bellows earned his second helper on the score. Will Lockwood (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) connected with Nick Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.) for the fourth tally by the United States. The Czechs got on the board late in the session, making the score, 4-1, heading into the third.
Bellows potted a goal at the 8:48 mark of the final frame with the lone assist awarded to Keller. The Czech Republic added a late marker at 15:33 to draw within three goals, but the U.S. skated away with the 5-2 victory.
Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) made 14 saves in the win for the United States, while Josef Korenar stopped 17 shots in the loss for the Czech Republic.
NOTES: The United States outshot the Czech Republic, 22-16 … The U.S. went 0-4 on the power play while the Czech Republic went 0-3 … The United States roster is made up entirely of members of the 2015-16 U.S. National Under-18 Team, part of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. A complete roster can be found here … The tournament website can be found here.
Team USA Schedule | 2016 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament
Feb. 11-14 | Rauma, Finland
Date Game Time (ET) / Result
Mon., Feb. 8 Finland* W, 3-2
Thurs., Feb. 11 Russia L, 0-3
Fri., Feb. 12 Sweden L, 2-3 (OT/SO)
Sat., Feb. 13 Finland W, 3-2
Sun., Feb. 14 Czech Republic W, 5-3
*Pre-tournament game
