Under-17 Team Rolls Over Finland in Final Game at Five Nations Tournament

Press Release

JARVENPAA, Finland - Blake Weyrick (Ojai, Calif.) turned aside 24 shots, as the U.S. National Under-17 Team rolled over Finland, 5-1, at the 2013 Five Nations Tournament here today at Jarvenpaa Arena. With the victory, Team USA finishes with a record of 2-0-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) and earns third place.

"We continued to play better as the tournament progressed," said Danton Cole, head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 Team. "Although we had the ultimate goal of claiming the title, it was a great experience for the guys."

Alex Tuch (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) scored just 22 seconds in the first frame to give Team USA an early lead. Ryan Bliss (Bedford, N.H.) and Joe Wegwerth (Brewster, N.Y.) collected assists on the tally. Finland knotted the game, 1-1, at 8:38. The U.S. responded when Anders Bjork (Mequon, Wis.) lit the lamp at 12:09. Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y.) registered the lone assist. Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) put the Americans up by two goals when he found the back of the net at 15:50. Nolan Stevens (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Seamus Malone (Naperville, Ill.) assisted.

The U.S. tallied the only goal of the second stanza at 2:21 when Milano took a Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.) pass and buried it into the net. Team USA outshot Finland, 12-6, in the frame.
Team USA and Finland each put 10 shots on net in the third frame. After the U.S. was whistled for a penalty late in the period, Finland pulled its netminder in favor of the extra attacker. The gamble did not pay off as Larkin potted an empty net goal for the Americans at 3:36. Eichel earned an assist on the play.

Weyrick kicked out 24 shots in the win for Team USA, while Kaapo Kahkonen made 31 saves in the loss for Finland.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)