U.S. FIRST TEAM TO TWO WINS AFTER TOPPING CZECHS

NEW LISKEARD, Ont. – Two days into the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and the United States is emerging as a team to beat.

Rocco Grimaldi and Barrett Kaib scored second period goals to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead and goaltender John Gibson shut the door the rest of the way as the U.S. became the tournament’s first 2-0 team with a 3-2 win over the Czech Republic on Wednesday.

Convincing 7-0 victors in their tournament opener on Tuesday against Atlantic, the U.S. was in tougher against the Czechs (0-1), who were making their return to the U17s after a three-year absence.

J.T. Miller and Vojtech Butor traded goals in the first period before Marek Hrbas gave the European side their first lead just 32 seconds into the second period, marking the first time in the tournament the Americans trailed.

But Grimaldi and Kaib scored 10 minutes apart to put the U.S. ahead after 40 minutes and Gibson stopped 13 shots in the third period to ensure the Americans a 12th consecutive round-robin game without a loss, leaving them alone atop Group B.