MASSACHUSETTS: Team USA hosted a five-team tournament against Europe’s top Under-18 national teams, and the host came out on top in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Americans won all four of their outings, culminating in a 5-1 success against Sweden in a de-facto gold medal game.
Against the Tre Kronor, the USA fell behind early to Otto Stenberg’s eighth-minute goal. However, the visitor’s hopes of upsetting the home team and taking top spot did not last long. Will Smith tied the scores late in the first after exchanging passes with Gabe Perrault.
Those two would finish the tournament tied for top scorer on nine points. In the middle frame, the Americans took control. Ryan Fine, Ryan Leonard and Beckett Hendrickson scored three unanswered goals to open a convincing 4-1 lead. Smith then finished the job in the third, putting a final gloss on an impressive tournament for his team.
The host nation was dominant throughout much of the tournament, scoring 29 goals through four games and allowing just eight at the other end. Smith, a projected first-round pick at next summer’s NHL draft, had six of those goals.
The centre formed an impressive partnership with Perrault throughout the competition and continues to gain good notices for his effective two-way play. Last season he won World U18 silver and the Boston University commit looks poised to play a big part in the 2023 edition in Switzerland next April.
There was only one truly close encounter for the USA, a rollicking 7-5 success against Finland. Gabe Perrault led the scoring in that game with 4 (2+2) points. His team fell behind, then jumped to a 6-1 lead before the Finns fought back late in the action.
The 17-year-old is tipped to continue something of a hockey dynasty: dad Yanic enjoyed a long career as a centre in the NHL, compiling 516 (247+269) points from 859 games across 14 seasons in the show. In IIHF play, he represented Canada and won World Championship silver in 1996. However, Gabe was born in Illinois and has grown up in the U.S. development program.
Perrault is not the only one of his siblings in the game: older brother Jeremy, 20, made his first appearance for the Ducks last season, having been a first-round pick back in 2020. This season, the right winger is in action for the San Diego Gulls in the AHL. Sister Liliane, 22, is also a hockey player, currently in her fifth year with Mercyhurst University in the NCAA. This was Perrault’s first tournament with the U18s, and he finished as joint leading scorer, tied with Smith on 9 (4+5) points.
Despite Finland’s battling performance against the USA, it could not do better than bronze. A 2-4 loss to old rival Sweden decided the medal placings. Switzerland took fourth thanks to a 4-2 win over Czechia. The Czechs managed a solitary point from an overtime loss against Finland in their final game.
