Russia Wins Gold at 2014 Under-17 Four Nations

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.) and Joey Anderson (Roseville, Minn.) each contributed one goal and one assist but the U.S. National Under-17 Team was clipped by Russia, 3-2, here tonight at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Team USA finished the 2014 Under-17 Four Nations Tournament in second place with a 2-0-0-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.

After a scoreless period and a half, the U.S. took advantage of its first power play opportunity of the game. Chad Krys (Ridgefield, Conn.) fed a pass to Keller along the right boards and he rocketed the puck top shelf at 9:21. Krys and Anderson received assists on the tally.

With 1:59 remaining in the period, the puck popped out to the top of the right circle in the U.S. zone and Alexander Yakovenko walked into a slapshot that evened the score, 1-1.

Russia received a man advantage at 14:53, and it took 35 seconds on the ensuing power play to net the go-ahead goal. Vitali Abramov's shot rebounded to the stick of Maxim Bain at the right post for the goal. The Russians went on another power play minutes later and Platon Popov put home a rebound from Mikhail Sergachyov's shot from the point to make it 3-1.

Anderson shortened the gap for the U.S. at 16:19 with a power-play wrister off a rebound from Keller and Krys. Joseph Woll (Dardenne Prairie, Mo.) was pulled from net in the final minutes, but the game closed at 3-2.

Notes: The players of the game were Keller (USA) and Yakovenko (Russia) … Team USA outshot Russia, 33-23 … The U.S. went 2-for-4 on the power play, while Russia went 2-for-6 … Keller led all tournament skaters with eight points (3-5) in four games. Anderson was second with six points (2-4) … The Four Nations Tournament was last held in the U.S. in 2012, when Ann Arbor hosted the Under-18 Four Nations Tournament … The afternoon game saw Slovakia defeat Switzerland, 2-0, to earn third place.