Team USA scored four times in the first period against Norway, including this breakway goal by Trevor Connelly.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Andre Ringuette
The countdown is on for Cole Eiserman to break the all-time USA Hockey National Team Development Program goal-scoring record.
Another Cole – Caufield – currently owns the title with 126 goals in his NTDP career. But Eiserman inched closer on Saturday at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, scoring a pair of first-period powerplay goals to give him 123 all time. Eiserman’s goals helped the United States move to 2-0 at U18 Worlds with an 8-2 win over Norway, which falls to 0-2.
The United States, which defeated Slovakia 9-0 on April 25, had a balanced attack against Norway, with seven different players scoring goals for the winners. Eiserman got the scoring started at 6:34 of the opening frame when the left-hander snapped a shot from his off wing that was reminiscent of another well-known American hockey player, Auston Matthews.
Eiserman, who wears 34 like Matthews, is among the top-ranked players heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, in large part due to his shot and goal-scoring prowess.
Twenty-nine seconds after Eiserman’s goal, Kamil Bednarik made it 2-0 when he streaked down the right side and quickly cut into the middle of the ice and wired a shot past Norway goaltender Amund Martinsen.
Norway found itself shorthanded yet again around the 13-minute mark of the first period and the Americans made the Norwegians pay. James Hagens circled with the puck just inside the blueline and then made a perfect cross-ice pass to Eiserman, who one-timed the puck in for his second goal.
USA made it 4-0 at 16:27 on another great play, when L.J. Mooney collected a loose puck in his end and made a long stretch pass to Trevor Connelly for a breakaway. Connelly made no mistake with a quick snapshot post in.
At 2:09 of the second, Mooney streaked down the right side in the Norway zone and scored from a tough angle for his first goal of the tournament. The 5-foot-7 Mooney showed his speed, skill and vision on that play and it was 5-0 for Team USA.
After being hauled down on a breakaway, Christian Humphries made it 6-0 when he scored on a penalty shot at 14:12 of the second.
Norway gave its fans something to celebrate early in the third as Mikkel Eriksen got Norway’s first goal of the tournament on a redirection that beat USA goaltender Jack Parsons. Norway was shut out 7-0 in its first game so the Norwegian players were thrilled to see a puck go in for their side.
USA’s Logan Hensler fired a shot from the point at 6:54 of the third to make it 7-1 and, later, Hagens added another for the winning side. Mathias Dehli gave the Norwegians another reason to celebrate late when he scored on a powerplay at 16:52 to conclude the scoring.
The United States, which is attempting to win back-to-back U18 Worlds gold medals, will face Latvia on Sunday. Norway’s next game comes on Monday against Latvia.
Another Cole – Caufield – currently owns the title with 126 goals in his NTDP career. But Eiserman inched closer on Saturday at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, scoring a pair of first-period powerplay goals to give him 123 all time. Eiserman’s goals helped the United States move to 2-0 at U18 Worlds with an 8-2 win over Norway, which falls to 0-2.
The United States, which defeated Slovakia 9-0 on April 25, had a balanced attack against Norway, with seven different players scoring goals for the winners. Eiserman got the scoring started at 6:34 of the opening frame when the left-hander snapped a shot from his off wing that was reminiscent of another well-known American hockey player, Auston Matthews.
Eiserman, who wears 34 like Matthews, is among the top-ranked players heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, in large part due to his shot and goal-scoring prowess.
Twenty-nine seconds after Eiserman’s goal, Kamil Bednarik made it 2-0 when he streaked down the right side and quickly cut into the middle of the ice and wired a shot past Norway goaltender Amund Martinsen.
Norway found itself shorthanded yet again around the 13-minute mark of the first period and the Americans made the Norwegians pay. James Hagens circled with the puck just inside the blueline and then made a perfect cross-ice pass to Eiserman, who one-timed the puck in for his second goal.
USA made it 4-0 at 16:27 on another great play, when L.J. Mooney collected a loose puck in his end and made a long stretch pass to Trevor Connelly for a breakaway. Connelly made no mistake with a quick snapshot post in.
At 2:09 of the second, Mooney streaked down the right side in the Norway zone and scored from a tough angle for his first goal of the tournament. The 5-foot-7 Mooney showed his speed, skill and vision on that play and it was 5-0 for Team USA.
After being hauled down on a breakaway, Christian Humphries made it 6-0 when he scored on a penalty shot at 14:12 of the second.
Norway gave its fans something to celebrate early in the third as Mikkel Eriksen got Norway’s first goal of the tournament on a redirection that beat USA goaltender Jack Parsons. Norway was shut out 7-0 in its first game so the Norwegian players were thrilled to see a puck go in for their side.
USA’s Logan Hensler fired a shot from the point at 6:54 of the third to make it 7-1 and, later, Hagens added another for the winning side. Mathias Dehli gave the Norwegians another reason to celebrate late when he scored on a powerplay at 16:52 to conclude the scoring.
The United States, which is attempting to win back-to-back U18 Worlds gold medals, will face Latvia on Sunday. Norway’s next game comes on Monday against Latvia.