John Mustard OT Tally Lifts Team White to 5-4 Win in 2024 Chipotle All-American Game

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – John Mustard (Oradell, N.J./Waterloo Blackhawks) scored 3:11 into overtime to lift Team White to a 5-4 victory over Team Blue here today at USA Hockey Arena in the 2024 Chipotle All-American Game, featuring top players eligible for the NHL Draft. Austin Baker (White Lake, Mich./U.S. National Under-18 Team), who also had a goal in the contest, picked up an assist on the three-on-three overtime winner.

Lucas Van Vliet (Livonia, Mich./U.S. National Under-18 Team) opened the scoring 6:23 into the contest with a power play blast from the top of the circles to put Team Blue up 1-0. Team White leveled the score 1:16 later as James Hagens (Hauppauge, N.Y./U.S. National Under-18 Team) capitalized off a nifty saucer pass from Teddy Stiga (Sudbury, Mass./U.S. National Under-18 Team) on a two-on-one opportunity.

Team Blue regained the lead with 3:56 to go in the opening frame, as James Reeder (Glenview, Ill./Dubuque Fighting Saints) netted a power play tally with a redirect. Philippe Blais-Savoie (San Jose, Calif./Tri-City Storm) and Van Vliet picked up assists on the play.

Team White made it a 2-2 game just 56 seconds into the middle frame when EJ Emery (Compton, Calif./U.S. National Under-18 Team) buried a rebound off a shot from Hagens on an odd-man rush.

Both squads made substitutions in goal at the 10:56 mark in the second period as Thatcher Bernstein (Boston, Mass./Dubuque Fighting Saints) entered the game for Team White while starter Nick Kempf (Chicago, Ill./U.S. National Under-18 Team) exited. Team Blue’s Caleb Heil (Victoria, Minn./Sioux Falls Stampede) subbed on for Jack Parsons (Ithaca, N.Y./U.S. National Under-18 Team).

Stiga gave Team White its first lead of the game 51 seconds into the final frame when he rifled one home from the slot off a backhand feed from Christian Humphreys (Pittsburgh, Pa./U.S. National Under-18 Team).

Baker gave Team White a 4-2 lead at 2:34 after a strong effort by Kristian Epperson (Mequon, Wis./U.S. National Under-18 Team) to carry the puck into the offensive zone before finding Baker out front.

Finn McLaughlin (Hudson, Wis./Youngstown Phantoms) answered for Team Blue at 5:31 with a rocket from the high slot. Shane Vansaghi (St. Louis, Mo./U.S. National Under-18 Team) and Max Plante (Hermantown, Minn./U.S. National Under-18 Team) added helpers on the play.

At the 12:41 mark, Trevor Connelly (Tustin, Calif./Tri-Cit Storm) forced a turnover and found Cole Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass./U.S. National Under-18 Team), whose shot deflected off a defender and in to send the game to overtime.

Mustard got the game winner, picking up a perfect pass from Baker at center ice and streaking down the left wing before wiring the puck past Heil.

NOTES: James Hagens (Hauppauge, N.Y.), who had a goal and an assist, was named the Player of the Game … Team Blue outshot Team White, 32-31 … All 45 players who competed in today’s game are committed to NCAA programs… For more information about the Chipotle All-American Game, click here.