USA Hockey

DRUMMONDVILLE, Quebec – Austin Poganski (St. Cloud, Minn.) tallied three goals, as the U.S. National Under-17 Team dropped Canada's Team Quebec, 4-3, in the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge third-place game here today at Centre Marcel Dionne. Team USA finishes the tournament with a 4-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record. The U.S. also recorded an exhibition victory preceding group play.

"We did a good job of working and battling today," said Danton Cole, head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 Team. "It was good to see how the guys would respond after yesterday's game. They showed a lot of pride and character in the win."

Quebec struck first at 16:03, jamming the puck past U.S. goaltender Chris Birdsall (Glen Rock, N.J.). A slashing and hooking call were called simultaneously on Quebec at 18:48, giving Team USA a two-man advantage. The Americans converted at 19:43 when Poganski chopped at the loose puck in a scramble in front of the Quebec net. Ryan MacInnis (St. Louis, Mo.) and Louis Belpedio (Skokie, Ill.) collected assists on the play. The two squads entered intermission knotted, 1-1.

Poganski staked a one-goal lead for the U.S. at 15:46 of the middle frame. Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) assisted on the go-ahead tally. Quebec answered on the power play at 18:37 to send both teams to the locker rooms knotted at two.

Team USA regained the lead at 9:52 of the third period off of Poganski's third goal of the contest. The unassisted tally was Poganski's second on the power play. MacInnis made a move to his backhand to double the Team USA lead, 4-2, at 10:37. Ryan Hitchcock (Manhasset, N.Y.) and Johnathan MacLeod (Dracut, Mass.) assisted on the marker. Quebec pulled its netminder in the final minutes and the gamble resulted in a goal with 35 seconds remaining. Team USA would hold on in the final moments and earned third place with a 4-3 victory over Quebec.

Birdsall turned aside 26 shots in the win for Team USA, while Alex Bureau made 23 saves in the loss for Quebec.

NOTES: Austin Poganski was named Team USA's Player of the Game ... The U.S. finished 2-for-6 on the power play, while Quebec went 1-for-6 with the man advantage ... Sonny Milano (Massapequa, N.Y.) was named to the All-Tournament Team ... For additional coverage, visit USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Facebook page ... The U.S. National Under-17 Team trains with The Hockey IntelliGym, a revolutionary new software program released on October 1, 2010, that trains hockey sense. To learn more, visit USAHockeyIntelliGym.com.

U.S. National Under-17 Team
Austin Poganski, forward (3 goals)

Canada Quebec
Carl Neill, defense (1 goal)