The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams combine to play four games this week. The U18s play home and away while the U17s are on the road for both contests.

CROSSTOWN CONTEST: The U18 Team makes a short trek across Ann Arbor to face the University of Michigan on Monday before hosting the United States Hockey League’s Youngstown Phantoms at 7 p.m. ET on Friday.

The U18s opened their 2014-15 college schedule with a 3-0 win over Miami (Ohio) University on Saturday. Goalie Luke Opilka (St. Louis, Mo.) kicked out 25 shots to earn the shutout win. Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.), Casey Fitzgerald (North Reading, Mass.) and Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.) provided the offense in the win.

“We had a big win at Miami,” head coach Don Granato said. “It was a team effort, and I was proud of how our team came out and worked hard to get the win.

“We need to continue to improve and work hard as we prep for two opponents this week. There are always areas of the game that we can improve on and become a better squad.”

NEW HOPE FOR U17s: The U17s head to New Hope, Minnesota, for two games against Minnesota Elite League opponents this weekend. The team will play one game on Saturday and another game on Sunday.

“It’s a continual learning process with our team in the first year. We need to learn to play a full 60 minutes,” head coach Danton Cole said. “We just need to be more complete and pay attention to details. The success will come; it is just going to take time.”

The U17s dropped a 5-2 decision to Youngstown on Friday. William Lockwood (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.) each scored one goal while goalie Joseph Woll (Dardenne Prairie, Mo.) stopped 26 shots.

• Tickets for home games played at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube are $7 for adults and $5 for children, seniors and active military members. Youth hockey players wearing their team jerseys are admitted for $1 and group rates are available. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling the NTDP at (734) 327-9251.
• The Hockey News ranked the top 50 NCAA Players to watch this season and several former NTDP standouts made the list.
  • F Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass./2012-14/Boston University)
  • F Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich./2012-14/Michigan)
  • F Alex Tuch (Baldwinsville, N.Y./2012-14/Boston College)
  • F Riley Barber (Livonia, Mich./2011-12/Miami)
  • F J.T. Compher (Northbrook, Ill./2011-13/Michigan)
  • F Hudson Fasching (Burnsville, Minn./2011-13/Minnesota)
  • F Quentin Shore (Denver, Colo./2010-12/Denver)
  • F John Hayden (Greenwich, Conn./2011-13/Yale)
  • D Noah Hanifin (Norwood, Mass./2013-14/Boston College)
  • D Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe, Mich./2013-14/Michigan)
  • D Ryan Collins (Bloomington, Minn./2012-14/Minnesota)
  • G Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif./2012-13/Boston College)
• U18 goalie Luke Opilka has two shutouts already this season after not recording one all of last year. Three goalies share the NTDP single-season shutout record of six. They are Jack Campbell (Port Huron, Mich./2008-09), Thatcher Demko (2012-13) and Jeff Frazee (Burnsville, Minn./2004-05).
• The U18s carry a 7-1 mark into this week’s action.
• Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y./4-10) paces the U18s with 14 points while Auston Matthews (3-9) is second with 12 points. Matthew Tkachuk (8-3) is third with 11 points. Rounding out the top-five are Christian Fischer (Wayne, Ill./5-4) and Colin White (Hanover, Mass./4-5), who have nine points each.
• In goal for the U18s, Michael Lackey (Washington, D.C.) and Luke Opilka have split time. Opilka is 5-0 with a 1.20 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage. Lackey is 2-1 with a 4.03 GAA and an .840 save percentage.
• The U17s are led by Clayton Keller (2-1), who has registered three points. Keeghan Howdeshell (Brighton, Mich./1-1), William Lockwood (1-1), Trent Frederic (St. Louis, Mo./0-2), Graham McPhee (Bethesda, Md./1-1) sit in a four-way tie for second place two points each.
• In goal for the U17s, Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) and Joseph Woll have split time. Woll is 0-2 with a 2.83 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Oettinger is 0-2 with a 6.00 GAA and an .847 save percentage.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.