U.S. National Under-18 Team Edged by No. 3 Boston University, 3-2

BOSTON – Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich.) made 39 saves including 17 in the third period, but it was not enough as Boston University escaped with a 3-2 victory over the U.S. National Under-18 Team here tonight at Agganis Arena.

Team USA got off to a fast start after Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn.) one-timed Jon Merrill's (Brighton, Mich.) feed and beat netminder Kieran Millan low-blocker side for a five-on-three power-play goal just 2:01 into the game. Nick Bonino answered back for BU at 12:07 with a wrap-around goal to make it 1-1. Chris Connolly gave the Terriers a 2-1 lead with just 2:05 remaining in the opening stanza after his shot beat Campbell.

Brandon Saad (Gibsonia, Pa.) knotted the score at 10:54 of the middle frame after Austin Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) fed him the puck in front of the net and his shot zipped under Millan's arm. With just eight seconds remaining in the second, Joe Pereira streaked into the U.S. zone and wired a shot off the short-side post and in to give the Terriers the 3-2 lead that.
Despite peppering Campbell with 17 shots in the third period, BU was unable to increase its lead, however Team USA could not solve netminder Adam Kraus, who relieved Millan for the third period. Kraus stopped all five U.S. shots he faced in the closing 20 minutes, allowing Boston University to skate away with the 3-2 win.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team returns to action Friday (Oct. 16) when it meets Bowling Green State University at 7 p.m. EDT at BGSU Arena.

NOTES: Brandon Saad extended his team lead to seven points (3-4). He is averaging a point-per-game ... Five former National Team Development Program players dot the Boston University roster including senior Luke Popko (2004-06), juniors Kevin Shattenkirk (2005-07) and Colby Cohen (2005-06) and sophomores Vinny Saponari (2006-08) and David Warsofsky (2006-08) ... BU, the defending NCAA Division I national champion, is ranked third in the preseason USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll ... Team USA has already played the last two NCAA Division I national champions, Boston University and Boston College (Oct. 9) and will also meet the 2007 NCAA champs Michigan State University on Jan. 4 and 2006 winners University of Wisconsin Jan. 9.