On the powerplay, Carter Mazur (Jackson, Mich.) got in on the offense 5:21 into the first with help from Thomas Bordeleau (Houston, Texas). Bordeleau skated around the net and fed the puck to Mazur as he pushed it pass the goal line.
Less than a minute later, Charlie Stramel (Rosemount, Minn.) muscled his way through the defense and took a shot from one knee that went into the back of the net to put the U.S. up four. Dominic James (Plymouth, Mich.) took a few attempts at a loose puck in front of the net before putting it past goaltender Kevin Pasche, who came in for relief of Henauer. The U.S. controlled the first and skated into the second with a 5-0 lead.
Although the team put up 10 shots in the second compared to the first period’s 19, the U.S. maintained control. The defense held strong with key shot blocks and a pair of great saves from U.S. starting netminder Kaidan Mbereko (Aspen, Colo.) to keep the Swiss scoreless after two.
Savage extended the lead to six in the third after he cleaned up Landon Slaggert’s (South Bend, Ind.) initial shot. Switzerland got on the board late, but it was Team USA that came out with the win, 6-1.
Mbereko started in net for the U.S. and stopped all 13 shots faced in two periods of action, while Andrew Oke (Shelby Township, Mich.) played the final 20 and stopped five of six shots faced.
NOTES: Red Savage (Scottsdale, Ariz.) was named U.S. Player of the Game… The U.S. outshot Switzerland, 39-18.
