U-18 Men's World Championship: Cole Eiserman's Hat Trick Powers Team USA To Win Over Slovakia

Team USA opened the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship with a 9-0 win over Slovakia

The U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team topped Slovakia 9-0 to open preliminary-round play of the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship on Thursday. 

Cole Eiserman (2024) tallied a hat trick, while James Hagens (2025) recorded a four-point (2-2-4) performance. USA netminder Nick Kempf stopped all 24 shots on goal.

Cole Hutson (2024), who was a late roster addition after dealing with an injury, opened the scoring just 2:34 into the game.

The Boston University commit showed his tremendous skill set by skating the puck into the offensive zone before ripping a shot from the left-wing circle short-side into the back of the net.

Slovakia registered its first shot on goal near the midway point of the first period, shortly before Jan Chovan's delay of game penalty sent Team USA to their first power play.

Cole Eiserman (2024) wasted little time doubling the Americans' lead, burying a backdoor feed from Brodie Ziemer (2024).

In the final minute of the frame, James Hagens (2025) collected a loose puck in the USA defensive zone and skated through the Slovakia defense before going five-hole to make it a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Team USA outshot Slovakia 15-4 in the first period.

Teddy Stiga (2024) quickly made it a 4-0 USA lead just 59 seconds into the second period. Ziemer connected with Hagens on a stretch pass, and the latter found a trailing Stiga in the offensive zone. Stiga ripped a shot into the back of the Slovakia net.

Nearly five minutes into the frame, Stiga was tripped up in front of the Slovakia net, sending Team USA back to the power play. The Americans could not convert on the opportunity, while Nick Kempf made a tremendous stop on a shorthanded chance for Slovakia.

With seven minutes left in the frame, Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen found Hagens on the right-wing circle. The Boston College commit had an open net, but his shot attempt just sailed wide of the net.

With under five minutes left in the second period, Rheaume-Mullen cycled the puck to fellow defenseman John Whipple, who wired a shot from the left circle through traffic and into the net to give Team USA a 5-0 advantage.

Hagens made good on his second attempt from the side of the cage with three minutes left in the middle stanza. Beautiful puck distribution from Ziemer, Stiga, and Hagens allowed the latter to wrist a shot from the right-wing circle.

With the goal, Hagens made it a 6-0 lead for Team USA on his second goal and fourth point of the night.

Max Plante (2024) was called for holding with 1:27 left in the frame, sending the Americans to their first penalty kill of the game. Team USA took its six-goal lead into the locker room after 40 minutes.

After sustaining a pushback from Slovakia, Team USA took a 7-0 lead just over seven minutes into the third period. Trevor Connelly (2024) found Christian Humphreys (2024) on the backdoor.

The play started in the USA's defensive zone, with Hutson leading the breakout before the puck was touched by LJ Mooney, Hutson, Connelly, and Humphreys.

Eiserman potted his second of the night at the midway point of the frame on a backdoor pass from Kamil Bednarik (2024). Eiserman's initial two shot attempts were stopped by Slovakian netminder Alan Lendak before the Boston University commit converted on his third chance.

Late in regulation, Eiserman completed the hat trick on another backdoor feed from Bednarik. With the goal, Eiserman moved within six goals of passing Cole Caufield's NTDP scoring record.

Team USA will continue Preliminary Round action against Norway on Saturday, with puck drop set for 10:30 a.m. EST.

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