The U.S. National Under-18 Team opened the U18 Five Nations Tournament with a 3-1 win over Sweden on Wednesday at SWISS Arena in Kloten, Switzerland. Nolan Fitzhenry had a goal and an assist, and Muskegon native Eli Winters allowed just one goal in net for the Plymouth-based National Team Development Program squad.
Fitzhenry needed only 71 seconds to put the U.S. in front, splitting the Swedish defense and beating Sweden’s starting goaltender at 1:11 of the first period. The lead grew to 2-0 at 1:34 of the second, when Diego Gutierrez found Fitzhenry in the slot and Fitzhenry moved the puck quickly to Brayden Willis for his fourth goal of the season and first of the tournament.
Sweden cut the deficit to 2-1 at 14:36 of the second period. Rocco Pelosi restored the two-goal cushion at 10:00 of the third, finishing a sequence that started when defenseman Easton Johnson intercepted a pass and moved it to Braden Horton, who set up Pelosi. Johnson is committed to the University of Michigan.
Winters, a Wisconsin commit from Muskegon, turned aside everything but the second-period goal. The NTDP did not publish shot totals or power-play results in its game story.
The U.S. faces Czechia next on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. ET. After the tournament, the U18s return to USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth to host the Chicago Steel in a USHL series on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m.
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