By USA Hockey, 08/11/25, 4:00PM EDT
TRENČÍN, Slovakia – The U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team received goals from six different players in a 6-3 victory over Slovakia in its first preliminary round game of the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup here today at Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium.
“Today was a team effort,” said Kevin Porter (Plymouth, Mich.), head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team. “Every single player contributed to the win, and they battled through adversity from start to finish. Now, we rehydrate and rest to get ready for tomorrow.”
Kalder Varga (Geneva, Ill.) opened the scoring at 4:21 of the first period, ripping a shot past Slovakian netminder Samuel Hrenák on a breakaway chance generated by a stretch pass from Nolan Duskocy (Ellington, Conn.).
Slovakia tied the contest at 4:51 as Oliver Ozogány capitalized on a rebound opportunity from the left faceoff circle.
Levi Harper (Tampa, Fla.) fired a shot through Hrenák’s five-hole from the left faceoff circle at 3:27 of the second on the power play to give the U.S. a 2-1 lead. Blake Zielinski (Berlin, N.J.) and Brooks Rogowski (Brighton, Mich.) recorded assists on the tally.
U.S. netminder Brady Knowling (Chicago, Ill.) kept his team ahead with a flurry of saves, while Nathan Bienstock (Hillsborough, N.J.) pulled a trickling puck off the goal line with 8:51 remaining in the second.
Ozogány scored his second of the game at 18:01, firing a bouncing puck home from a sharp angle.
Zielinski responded 1:35 later, scoring on a wrist shot from the top of the slot following a centering feed from Jack Hextall (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) to give the U.S. a 3-2 advantage heading into the third.
Knowling came up large for the U.S. 3:22 into the third, sprawling to make a stellar pad save, denying a rebound opportunity. He finished the game with 22 stops.
Slovakia tied the game, as Ozogány completed a hat trick at 9:27 with a power play goal from the right circle.
Noah Davidson (Irvine, Calif.) crashed the net and put home a rebound chance from the slot with 1:40 to play in the third to regain the lead for Team USA. Rogowski and Nick Bogas (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) added empty-net tallies to account for the 6-3 final.
The U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team takes the ice tomorrow (Aug. 12) in preliminary round action against Sweden. Puck drop is slated for 3:30 p.m. local time (9:30 a.m. ET). All U.S. contests at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup will be broadcast by NHL Network.
NOTES: Noah Davidson was named U.S. Player of the Game … Team USA outshot Slovakia, 38-25 … The U.S. went 1-for-3 on the power play and 5-for-6 on the penalty kill.
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