A few years from now, players might look back to this season as the turning point for USA hockey.

Team USA surpassed all expectations after it upset Ukraine, 4-2, on Friday at the World University Games. The United States (3-3) improved its record to an unprecedented .500 level after compiling just one win in the last two Games combined.

"It's a huge stepping stone for Team USA, and the ACHA as a whole," said Joe Magalque, Team USA's co-captain and a Penn State defenseman.

North Dakota State's Nicholas Krebsbach agreed.

"This is something special," he said. "No way did I ever really expect to get three."

Krebsbach, second on the team in points, scored the game-winning goal in the third period after he intercepted the puck and backhanded it between the goalie's legs. Team USA might have been overmatched, but it appeared to be in complete control of the game.

USA head coach Chad Cassel even said, "the game was never in doubt."

"We came out and set the tone physically," he said.

According to Maglaque, the opposing teams -- especially the Europeans -- depended solely on speed and finesse. Once Team USA started "manhandling a lot of teams physically," the wins started rolling in. Of course, the goaltending didn't hurt either.

Lindenwood's Mark Turnipseed, who was instrumental in the 2-1 Slovakia upset last week, put forth another brilliant effort, stopping 29 pucks and allowing just a pair of goals.

Team USA was outshot 31-21, but Turnipseed, the oldest player on the team, picked up the slack on his 26th birthday -- even if he did allow one soft goal.

Ukraine's Artem Bondariev scored after he broke his own stick on the shot. The puck somehow managed to trickle under Turnipseed's legs.

"It was the first goal they got out of the game," he said. "After that goal, I was actually laughing about it because it was so weak.

"But I felt really good, and I wasn't going to let that get in my way. I wanted to finish .500."

The United States opened the contest with a 2-0 run and never trailed. As a matter of fact, in the last two games, Team USA didn't spend a single minute trailing.

"We've come a long way," Maglaque said. "We clicked very well [against Ukraine], and that's what led to our victory."

Team USA went 2-for-7 on the power play Friday, and finished ninth overall in a field of 12 teams.

The finish might not seem overly impressive, but it's a step in the right direction for a league that's only been to three Games since the NCAA chose to no longer represent the United States.