The U.S. earned the first two-goal lead of the game courtesy of a Hutson far-side finish with seven minutes to play in the second. Shane Vansaghi (St. Louis, Mo.) drove the length of the ice and feathered a perfect pass through the slot for Hutson to one-time in, making it a 3-1 contest. Skahan kickstarted the play to earn the secondary assist, his second point in as many days.
Before the close of the second, Canada’s Gavin McKenna roofed a backhand shot from in close to close the gap to 3-2 on a Canadian power play.
Right off the ensuing draw, Hagens had a great opportunity to get one back, but his backhand attempt was denied by the stick of a sprawling George on a highlight-reel stop to keep it a one-goal game after 40 minutes.
Kempf made his best stop of the night around six minutes into the final frame, as he gloved a back-door attempt from Canadian captain Porter Martone on the power play.
With 9:35 to play in regulation, McKenna wound up for a one-timer from between the hashes and deposited in the top corner to tie the game at three goals apiece.
Canada took its first lead of the night with a pair of scores in the last minute of a major power play. Cole Beaudoin pushed home a back-door feed to give them a 4-3 lead with 6:20 to play and Tij Iginla added another 39 seconds later to extend the lead to 5-3.
The U.S. pulled back within one with 4:24 remaining in the third. After an offensive-zone faceoff win back to Hutson, he passed to EJ Emery (Compton, Calif) at the right point, who ripped a rising shot on goal. Brodie Zeimer (Hutchinson, Minn.) deflected the shot down into the back of the net.
McKenna iced the game with an empty-net goal with 20 seconds remaining.
NOTES: Cole Hutson (Chicago, Ill.) was named Team USA’s player of the game … James Hagens (Hauppauge, N.Y.) was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player following a 22-point performance … James Hagens received the Directorate Award for Best Forward and Cole Hutson received the Directorate Award for Best Defender … James Hagens and Cole Hutson were named to the Media All-Star Team … The U.S. outshot Canada, 35-25 … Team USA was 1-for-4 on the extra-skater opportunity.
