Adrian College defeated the United States National Team Development Program Under-18 squad for the first time since the 2011-12 season with a 4-1 win on Saturday evening. The win snapped the Americans’ six-game winning streak.
Senior Dino Balsamo led Adrian with two goals. Junior goalie Cameron Gray started and was credited with the win after making 18 saves on 19 shots faced in the first 31 minutes and 20 seconds of action, followed by freshman Nic Tallarico who stopped all 17 shots he faced in the final 28:40.
Freshman Zachary Heintz also had two points on a goal and an assist. Sophomore Sam Ruffin, who recorded a goal, led the Bulldogs in the face-off circle with 13 wins in 28 attempts. = Matthew Beniers scored the Americans lone tally.
.@ACBulldogHockey defeated @USAHockeyNTDP's Under-18 squad for the first time since the 2011 season with a 4-1 win on Saturday, snapping the Americans' six-game winning streak. Check out our recap 👇👇#D3Hky #GoDawgs #Hockey #HockeyTwitter #Adrian #GDTBAB @AdrianBulldogs pic.twitter.com/kdfoBHFGQT
— Adrian College TV (@AdrianCollegeTV) December 16, 2019
Ty Smilanic was 8-for-11 on face-offs, followed by Thomas Bordeleau (13-for-20) and Chase Yoder (11-for-20). Bordeleau led Team USA with five shots on goal.= Adrian led 1-0 after 20 minutes on Balsamo’s goal at the 12:32 mark of the opening period. Senior Matt McNair forced a turnover and then fed Balsamo for the goal.
The Bulldogs took a 3-1 advantage after two periods. Ruffin and Beniers scored 21 seconds apart to make it 2-1 Adrian, beginning at 8:19. Heintz found the back of the net with 43 seconds left with assists going to senior Vinny Post and sophomore Matt Eller. Balsamo gave Adrian an insurance goal with the Bulldogs on the power play and against an empty-net with 1:45 remaining in the third period.
The Bulldogs successfully killed off a 5-minute Team USA power-play chance in the first period with carry-over to the second, clinging to a 1-0 lead at the time. Gray had three saves and the AC defense came up with three blocked shots during that stretch.
Team USA outshot Adrian 36 to 28, including 16-10 in the first period when Gray made all 16 saves and 12-3 in the third when Tallarico made all 12 stops to preserve the win.
THUNDER / BULLDOGS BROADCAST INFO:
NCHA Regular Season Conference Contest
Trine Thunder @ Adrian Bulldogs
Date: Tuesday, December 31st | Time: 5:05 pm ET
Location: Arrington Ice Arena – Adrian, Michigan
TV: Adrian College Television | Radio: 107.9 WVAC-FM
Team USA leads the all-time series 8-4; before tonight, Adrian’s last victory came on October 28th, 2011, by a 6-4 score, also played at home. The Americans fall to 2-7-1 against NCAA teams this season, but the Bulldogs are the first Division III program they faced. All but one of Team USA’s players are Division I-scholarship commitments.
The USNTDP program has produced 328 National Hockey League draft picks, 16 Stanley Cup champions, 19 Olympians, 44 NCAA champions and 6 Hobey Baker winners. There 85 alumni playing in the NHL, plus 72 in the American Hockey League, as recently as the 2018-19 season. Jake Sanderson, Luke Tuch and Smilanic of Team USA are listed as “A-ranked” skaters according to the latest NHL Central Scouting Service, which also includes 15 others in the rankings.
Adrian will take a break for the Christmas holiday and return to the friendly confines of Arrington on New Year’s Eve to host Northern Collegiate Hockey Association foe Trine in a non-conference game, beginning at 5:05pm.
This article was written using a press release and information generated by Adrian College’s sports information department and Patrick Stewart. It is nearly entirely a repost of the original press release. For more college sports, follow us on Twitter @MWSNsports or like our page on Facebook.
