Tuesday, January 5, 2010

USA U17's McCabe, Schmaltz, Fiala Win GOLD!!!!

Press Release From Hockey Canada

TIMMINS, Ont. – For the first time since 2002, the United States is on top of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Reid Boucher (Michigan State commit) set up Tyler Biggs (Miami commit) for the game’s opening goal early in the second period and Biggs returned the favour on Boucher’s game-winner in the first minute of the third as the United States ended a two-game losing streak in the gold medal game with a 2-1 victory over Ontario on Monday night.

The U.S. won its first U17 title since claiming the second of back-to-back golds in 2001 and 2002. It lost in the gold medal game in 2006 and 2008 – the 2008 game to Ontario. The win also made the Americans just the third team to win three U17 golds; Ontario leads with seven, and Quebec has also won three.

The game was a goaltender’s duel from the start; despite 21 shots on goal in the opening period (11-10 in favour of the United States) netminders Tyson Teichmann of Ontario and John Gibson of the U.S. kept the game scoreless through 20 minutes.

Boucher finally broke the goose egg 1:51 into the second period, snapping a shot past Teichmann, but the middle frame was also owned by the goaltenders – Boucher’s goal was the only one of 25 shots to beat Teichmann and Gibson.

Just as it did in its tournament-opening loss to Finland, Ontario owned the third period, outshooting the U.S. 19-6, but not before Biggs sent a shot far side on Teichmann to double the American lead just 31 seconds into the period.

Gibson and the American shut the door from there, although a goal from Daniel Catenacci with just one second remaining gave the pro-Canadian crowd of more than 2,000 at McIntyre Arena something to cheer about late, and ruined Gibson’s shutout bid.

The loss ended Ontario’s gold medal game winning streak at three – it had not lost the final game at a U17 tournament since 2000, when it lost to Russia in, ironically, Timmins.

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