Aug. 12, 2000

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Troy Riddle registered a hat trick while assisting on the other United States goal as the USA Hockey Under-20 team closed play at the USA Hockey Summer Challenge with a 4-2 win over Finland in Saturday’s gold-medal game at The Olympic Center.

Notre Dame sophomore-to-be center Connor Dunlop(St. Louis, Mo.) was one of the USA’s 18 skaters used in Saturday’s win but he did not factor into any of the scoring.

The game was decided on special teams, as the USA converted 2-of-7 power-play chances while stopping all eight of Finland’s man-up opportunities.

Riddle-who spent last season playing junior hockey in the United States Hockey League with the Des Moines Buccaneers, which are coached by former Irish assistant Tom Carroll-opened the scoring early in the first period with a power-play goal, assisted by defenseman Justin Forrest (5:24).

Finland tied the game later in the period on a score from Joonas Vihko (12:53) but the USA closed the period with another power-play score, as Riddle and Rensselaer’s Marc Cavosie set up a goal by Paul Martin (18:27).

Riddle pushed the lead to 3-1 late in the second period, after taking a feed down low from Minnesota’s Jeff Taffe and scoring from the left side of the crease (14:47).

Finland cut the lead to 3-2 early in the final period, on a 4-on-4 goal by defenseman Janne Niskala, but Riddle completed his hat trick five minutes later by scoring unassisted at the 8:47 mark.

Former Boston University goaltender Rick DiPietro-who was the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL draft-registered 29 saves in the win while Finland’s Kari Lehtonen stopped 18 shots.