PLANO, Texas – The U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team, behind a pair of goals from Will Horcoff (Birmingham, Mich.), earned a 4-1 victory over Finland here this afternoon at StarCenter Plano Ice Arena in its final pre-tournament game ahead of the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship.
Team USA opens preliminary round play Wednesday (April 23) in Frisco, Texas, at Comerica Center against Czechia. Faceoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET) and will be broadcast live on NHL Network. Tickets to all games of the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship in Frisco and Allen, Texas, can be purchased online here.
“I liked our energy to start the game," said Greg Moore, head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team. "We had great puck pressure with guys using their speed and being physical. Today’s game was a good step in our process and how we want to play going into the tournament.”
Jacob Kvasnicka (Plymouth, Minn.) got Team USA on the board early as he potted one 5:02 into the opening frame. Mikey Berchild (Minnetonka, Minn.) forced an offensive zone turnover and found a dashing LJ Mooney (West Mifflin, Pa.) pushing hard towards the net. Mooney tried a few stick handles before his shot on net, which was initially saved by Finnish netminder Jooa Sammalniemi, found Kvasnicka who came into the crease to clean things up.
GAME PHOTOS
Team USA nearly went up a pair after a Cullen Potter (Minneapolis, Minn.) breakout pass found Will Moore (Ithaca, N.Y.) who snuck behind the defense. Moore moved the puck to Mooney on his wing and fired a shot that was turned aside.
Team USA goaltender Patrick Quinlan (Kennett Square, Pa.) kept the U.S. in front despite being tested early on. At the 9:52 mark, a loose puck bounced around the crease as Finland scrambled towards the net front, however, Quinlan got his pads on the shot and sent it towards the boards.
The U.S. got out to a 2-0 advantage at 12:39 when Horcoff picked the top corner from the faceoff dot after Garrett Lindberg (Moorhead, Minn.) floated the puck to him on a rush up the ice.
In the opening minutes of the middle frame, Quinlan once again kept the game at bay, halting a three-on-two chance. Moore increased the U.S. lead to 3-0 with 6:25 to go in the period with help from Asher Barnett (Wilmette, Ill.). Starting in his own defensive zone, Barnett sent a pass blue line to blue line to Moore, who slowed down near the crease, waited out Sammalniemi with stick handles and snuck it past his stretched-out pad.
Horcoff tallied his second of the game at 6:18 of the final period. With the man advantage, Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) found an open Drew Schock (Green Bay, Wis.) on the blue line who sent it on net through traffic where Horcoff redirected the shot in.
Finland scored its lone goal of the contest on the power play at 10:14.
Quinlan played the first two periods in goal for the U.S., stopping all 21 shots faced. Joey Slavick (Westland, Mich.) played the final 20 minutes and stopped eight shots.
NOTES: Both teams were 1-2 on the power play… The U.S. outshot Finland, 40-30… Team USA will play all of its preliminary round games at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas… Tickets for the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship can be purchased online here… For complete tournament news, including full schedule, broadcast information, stats and standings, click here.
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Source: usahockey.com