TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Quebec – Blake Zielinski (Berlin, N.J./Des Moines Buccaneers) recorded four points (2g, 2a) to help lead the U.S. Junior Select Team to a 7-1 victory over Sweden at the 2025 World Junior A Challenge here today at Colisée Vidéotron.
“We liked the response from our group this afternoon from start to finish,” said Andy Brandt (Wausau, Wis.) head coach of the U.S. Junior Select Team. “We played with more passion, emotion and detail. The intensity and focus in all areas of the game was much better this game. We will enjoy an off day tomorrow and be ready for Canada West on Wednesday.”
Zielinski opened the scoring 9:05 into the first, ripping a wrister from the right faceoff circle past the blocker of Swedish netminder Douglas Nilsson following a cross-ice feed from Justin Graf (Boston, Mass./Cedar Rapids RoughRiders).
U.S. netminder Ryan Cameron (Berwyn, Pa./Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) misplayed the puck behind his net, but recovered to make a sprawling stick save at 4:13 of the second. He made a stellar sliding save on a point-blank chance moments later to keep his team ahead.
Team USA doubled its lead at 7:17, as passes from Carter Sanderson (Pierre, S.D./Muskegon Lumberjacks) and Zielinski set up Masun Fleece (Rolling Hills, Calif./Dubuque Fighting Saints) at the bottom of the left circle who rifled a one-timer home.
GAME PHOTOS
Brent Solomon (Champlin, Minn./Sioux Falls Stampede) added a power-play tally for the U.S. with 21 seconds left in the frame, stepping out from the left boards and powering a wrist shot through Nilsson to give his team a 3-0 advantage through two periods.
The U.S. struck with another power-play goal 5:54 into the third period, as Evan Jardine (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Youngstown Phantoms) sent a backdoor feed to Ashton Schultz (Excelsior, Minn./Chicago Steel) who banged it home to extend the lead to four.
Sweden trimmed the U.S. advantage to three with 5:10 left in regulation, as Marcus Nordmark scored a power-play goal on a wrist shot from the top of the slot.
Colin Frank (Ladera Ranch, Calif./Dubuque Fighting Saints) responded nine seconds later, powering through two Swedish defenders to let loose a shot from the slot that beat Nilsson on the blocker side to give Team USA a 5-1 lead.
Zielinski added another man-advantage goal at 16:43 and Frank scored his second of the game at 18:29 to account for the 7-1 final. Cameron finished the contest with 30 saves.
Team USA closes its preliminary round against Canada West on Wednesday (Dec. 10) at 7 p.m. ET. All World Junior A Challenge games can be streamed at HNLive.ca.
NOTES: Blake Zielinski was named U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA went 3-4 on the power play and Sweden went 0-3 … The U.S. outshot Sweden, 41-30.
2025 World Junior A Challenge 
2025 U.S. Junior Select Team Roster 
2025 WJAC Information
