U.S. Under-18 Select Team Falls to Canada, 1-0, in Championship Game of 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament

August 14, 2010

PIESTANY, Slovakia – Stephen Michalek (Glastonbury, Conn.) stopped 23 of 24 shots faced, but the U.S. Under-18 Select Team fell just short against Canada, 1-0, here today in the championship game of the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. The second-place Team USA posted its best finish at the tournament since 2006, compiling a 3-0-1-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) overall record.

“Our guys gave it everything they had today,” said Tim Army, head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Select Team. “We couldn’t have asked for anything more from these players, who really came together in a short period of time and played well against tough international competition all week.”

Canada’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the lone goal of the game less than two minutes into the opening period. Michalek and the U.S. defense settled in from that point on, however, keeping Team USA within striking distance throughout.

But the U.S. failed to find the back of the net, and finished second at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament for the seventh time (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2010) since the event’s inception in 1991.