Steel routed by Team USA
PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN - Team USA (U18) (37-14-0-1, 75 pts.) scored three goals in each of the first two periods and had multi-point performances from nine different players en route to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Steel (23-24-1-5, 52 pts.) Saturday night at USA Hockey Arena. Four different players scored for the Steel.
Team USA's top line struck first after combining for six points in Friday's win. Jack Hughes and linemates Jonathan Gruden and Oliver Wahlstrom combined for tick-tack-toe passing that Hughes finished with a tip in for the opening goal just 1:53 into the game.
Defenseman Bode Wilde doubled Team USA's lead with a power-play goal with 5:09 to play in the opening frame. Wilde's wrist shot found room past the blocker of Steel goaltender Justin Robbins after Gruden found him alone in the high slot.
Team USA made it a three-goal lead with 34 seconds remaining in the first as Patrick Giles deflected a Mattias Samuelsson shot.
But the Steel would battle back early in the second period to cut the lead to a single goal. Todd Goehring got the Steel on the board 59 seconds into the second period with his second goal of the weekend. Nick Abruzzese started the play when he stole the puck below the goal line and spun a perfect pass to Goehring for the top-shelf, wrist shot goal past USA goalie Spencer Knight.
Steel captain Derek Daschke's wrist shot from the blue line found its way past a Tyler Gratton screen and the glove of Knight moments later to make it 3-2. Baker Shore collected a primary assist to push his point streak to four games (2-4-6).
Team USA answered back with a pair of goals of their own to reestablish a three-goal lead. Cole Caufield shoveled the puck past an unsuspecting Robbins 5:10 into the middle frame and Jake Wise tipped in a rebound to push the lead to 5-2.
Abruzzese (1-1-2) got the Steel within two with a power-play goal at the 15:48 mark on a one-timer from his left knee at the left faceoff circle. But with 32 seconds left in the period, Hughes (2-0-2) gave USA its third three-goal lead of the game with a power-play strike of his own.
Team USA opened the third period scoring with Wise's (2-1-3) second goal of the night just 55 seconds into the period.
Chicago's Robert Mastrosimone (1-1-2) picked up a goal with 6:45 to play as he lifted a backhander past the glove of Knight. Gruden then capped off the scoring with a power-play goal with 3:32 remaining.
Team USA outshot Chicago 43-26 and went 3-for-4 on the power play.