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Sweden Wins Its Tourney Opener; USA Improves to 2-0-0 on Day 2

11/10/2022, 12:00pm EST
By USA Hockey Arena

Behind two points apiece from Felix Nilsson, Otto Stenberg and Simon Zether, Sweden skated past Switzerland by a 5-2 final to kick off Day 2 of the U18 Five Nations.

Switzerland held two early leads in the game, the first after captain Alain Graf netted the opening goal on a power play at 6:33 of the first. Zether responded to make it 1-1 after the first period.

Thirty-three seconds into the middle frame, Switzerland netted a quick goal from Kevin Zurcher, but that's all the offense they could muster. 

Sweden used two scores to close out the second period up 3-2 and added a pair late in regulation for the 5-2 final.

Stenberg and Graf were named the Players of the Game for each country. 

The U.S. used a four-point night from Gabe Perreault and won for the second straight evening with a 7-5 final over the Finns. 

Finland got on the board first from Jesse Nurmi but Team USA responded with the next six goals of the game. Will Smith started the scoring streak with a rebound finish after Perreault made a pass off the goaltender's pads and Ryan Leonard crashed the net to give the U.S. a 2-1 lead after the first.

Oliver Moore netted a pair of power-play scores within the first five minutes in the second period to extend the lead to 4-1. Leonard followed with his second of the night with the goal of the tournament, a shorthanded backhand finish after weaving his way through a trio of Finnish defenders. 

Perreault scored to make it six straight for the red, white and blue but Jesse Kiiskinen answered to make it 6-2 after 40 minutes. 

Finland recorded three of the four goals in the final period of regulation to push the game to a 7-5 final. 

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