USA U-17s put up a dozen on Swiss

The USA Hockey U-17 Select Team is within one contest of taking top spot at the Five Nations Cup tournament at Arosa Switzerland after whipping Switzerland 12-0 in its penultimate match.

For the first time in the tournament, the Americans got on the scoreboard first and once it built up speed, the boys made the guy flipping the goal light behind the Swiss keeper the busiest man in the game.

Up 2-0 after a period, the Americans buried the Swiss keeper with a barrage in the middle frame and piled on another seven goals before wrapping it up with three more down the stretch.

Five different American shooters scored twice in the game, led by Sasha Chmelevski of Northville, MI who added three assists for a five point game. Chmeleski played for the Honebaked AAA program last season and two of his teammates on that team: Ivan Lodnia (2g, 2a) of Novi, MI and Wyatt Bongiovanni (2g) from Birmingham, MI also scored twice in the game.

Brannon McManus from Newport Beach, CA had two goals and two assists in the game while Jacob McGrew collected two goals and one helper.

Sam Walker of Minneapolis, MN who played at Edina High School last year and defenseman Jack Rathbone from West Roxburg, MA collected the other goals and Mick Messner from Madison, WI who last played for Team Wisconsin, set up a pair.

Team USA heads into the final day of play Sunday with three wins, including one in overtime against Slovakia (2-1-1). In its final match, the Americans will face Germany (1-2) while the only team with a shot at finishing ahead of Team USA, Czech Republic (2-1) will wrap it up against winless Switzerland.