LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – USA Blue pulled out a 2-1 victory against Finland today at the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp. Finland tallied midway through the third period, but Louie Belpedio (Skokie, Ill./U.S. National Under-18 Team) and Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich./U.S. National Under-18 Team) each scored in the final 5:03 to clinch the win for USA Blue.
Scoreless through two periods, Finland converted on an odd-man rush at 9:33 of the final frame.
At 14:57, a loose puck skipped out to the top of the right circle, where Belpedio was waiting and fired it high into the net.
USA Blue manufactured the game-winning goal with just over a minute to play. Tyler Motte (St. Clair, Mich./University of Michigan) won a battle in the left corner to get the puck to Larkin, who swooped around the net and banked the puck off the goaltender and in.
The USA Blue goaltending duo of Brendan Burke (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Brandon Halverson (Traverse City, Mich.) combined for a .947 save percentage. Halverson was perfect in the first 30:29 of the game, stopping all eight shots. Burke finished the game strong with 10 saves on 11 shots.
