USHL Fall Classic East – Green Bay, Wisconsin
Day 3
Team USA 6 vs. Youngstown Phantoms 3
A four-goal second period led Team USA’s Under-18 squad to their second victory of USHL Fall Classic East in Green Bay. It would be Youngstown that would get on the board first when Josh Melnick scored with just over six minutes remaining in the first period. Team USA then took over in the second period as Brendan Warren and Matthew Tkachuk both scored shorthanded goals 35 seconds apart on the same penalty kill. Tkachuk then added a power play tally later in the frame and then Tage Thompson scored 33 seconds after that to complete the four-goal period for Team USA. Chase Pearson cut the lead to 4-2 early in the second period when he scored for Youngstown, but shortly later, Casey Fitzgerald again made it a three-goal lead when he converted on the power play. Taylor Best added a power play goal for Youngstown midway through the period, but it wouldn’t be enough as Jeremy Bracco sealed it with an empty net goal in the closing moments. Goaltender Luke Opilka made 20 saves to earn the victory.
Waterloo Black Hawks 4 vs. Madison Capitols 5
Will Johnson scored a pair of goals as the expansion Capitols finished the Fall Classic East with a 2-0-0 record. Waterloo started the scoring when George Mika tallied a goal midway through the opening period, but Johnson evened the contest a few moments later to make it 1-1 heading into the first intermission. Johnson struck again just 40 seconds into the middle period before Waterloo scored consecutive goals to take the lead. Lawrence Jungwirth netted a goal and Tyler Sheehy scored less than four minutes later to give the Black Hawks the lead. Madison quickly answered as newly-acquired Haralds Egle scored to even the contest at 3-3 heading into the second break. Tyson McLellan put Waterloo back up in the first minute of the third period, but Chong Hyun Lee tied it for Madison four minutes later before Michael Merulla tallied the game-winner with seven minutes remaining in the contest. Darren Smith made 32 saves for Madison before Garrett Metcalf came in during the second period and finished the game stopping 13-of-14 shots he faced.
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrates its 13th season as the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league in 2014-15. A record 35 players were chosen in the 2014 NHL Draft and more than 300 players on team rosters last season have committed to NCAA Division I schools, further establishing the USHL as the world’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.USHL.com or visit the League’s social media platforms, including Facebook (www.facebook.com/ushlhockey), twitter (www.twitter.com/ushl), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/ushlinteractive). Fans can also watch USHL action all season long, live or on-demand via FASTHockey (ushl.fasthockey.com).
It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL.
