The U.S. National Under-18 Team makes its final collegiate road trip this weekend when they travel to Maine for matchups with University of Maine on Friday (Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. ET) and the University of New England on Saturday (Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. ET). 

The U18s are coming off a split last weekend. A 6-3 come-from-behind victory on Friday afternoon against Trinity College at USA Hockey Arena earned the team its 16th victory of the season. They followed that by dropping a close contest (3-1) on New Years Eve in Youngstown to the Phantoms.

The U.S. National Under-17 Team returns to USA Hockey Arena for the first time since capturing the Under-17 Four Nations title in Monthey, Switzerland, in mid-December. The U17s have a pair of home games on tap as the United States Hockey League’s Chicago Steel and Youngstown Phantoms travel to USA Hockey Arena this weekend. Team USA faces the Steel at 7 p.m. ET Friday (Jan. 6) and the Phantoms at 7 p.m. ET Saturday (Jan. 7). 

The U17s are coming played a single game last weekend in Muskegon, dropping the decision, 3-1. 

Friday vs. Chicago Steel

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

Saturday vs. Youngstown Phantoms

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

Friday @ University of Maine

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Live Streaming

Live Stats

Tickets

Saturday @ University of New England

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Live Streaming

Live Stats

Facebook Live

MAINE MATCHUPS: The U18s will face the University of Maine for the 10th time on Friday evening. Team USA is 0-9 all-time against the Black Bears but coming off an NCAA victory last weekend against Trinity College. The last matchup was a 6-4 loss on Nov. 23, 2011. Steffan Matteau (2010-12/Chicago, Ill.) netted two goals for the U18s in the loss. Maine is coming off a 6-4 loss to the University of New Hampshire last Friday.

The U18s will face the University of New England for the first time in program history on Saturday. The Nor'Easters were established in the 2007-08 season but became a varsity squad in 2009-10. UNE plays in the NEHC and has appeared in seven NEHC/ECAC E Championship games all time. The Noreasters are 5-5-1 overall this season and returnt to the ice for the first time since a 3-1 loss to Nichols College on Dec. 10 at Levy Rink in Harrisville, Rhode Island.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: When the U17s open up home play on Friday, it will be only the second home game since October 21 for the U17s, having played a lengthy USHL road stand throughout November and traveling to Monthey, Switzerland, for the Under-17 Four Nations Tournament in mid December.

The Steel currently sit in first in the USHL standings with a 20-5-4 (W-L-OTL) record. This will be the first meeting between the Under-17 Team and Steel this season. Previously, Chicago defeated the U.S. National Under-18 Team, 4-1, on December 3 at USA Hockey Arena.

The Phantoms are in third place in the Eastern Conference, having earned a 17-9-3 mark through the first half of the season. They are currently riding a six-game winning streak, with their last lost coming almost a month ago on December 8 against the Muskegon Lumberjacks in overtime. 

COLLEGE MATCHUPS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will skate in 17 NCAA games this season, including 12 tilts with Division I squads. The U18s recorded their first collegiate win of the season on Oct. 22 with a 2-1 victory against currently first-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth.

Jacob Tortora (Victor, N.Y.), Josh Norris (Oxford, Mich.) and Evan Barratt (Bristol, Pa.) have each recorded nine points in NCAA matchups this season.

Dylan St. Cyr (Northville, Mich.) has earned three victories in eight collegiate appearances this season.

MAINE CONNECTION: Nine NTDP alumni have played for the University of Maine over the past 20 years. The last alum to play for the Black Bears was Stuart Higgins (Troy, Mich./2008-09) who played four seasons and finished his career with 27 points. 

The trip to Maine will also be a homecoming for NTDP alum and current intern assistant coach, Greg Moore (Libson, Maine/2000-02). Moore recorded 107 points (66-41-107) in 154 games for the University of Maine from 2002-2006.

NTDP IN HOCKEY EAST: Several NTDP alumni have made an impact in the Hockey East Association this season. Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass./2011-13) currently leads the conference in scoring (6-12-18) while he plays his senior season at the University of New Hampshire. His performance through the holiday break has earned him three Warrior Player of the Week Awards and most recently, the Warrior Player of the Month Award for December.

Anders Bjork (Mequon, Wis./2012-14) has earned two Warrior Player of the Week Awards and the Warrior Hockey Player of the Month in October and is currently second in scoring with 14 points (7-7-14) on the season for the University of Notre Dame. 

The Boston University trio of Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y./2013-15), Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill./2014-16) and Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn./2014-16) has also garnered conference attention. Keller and Oettinger have combined for five Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week honors while Greenway has earned a Warrior Player of the Week honor.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE: Seventeen players who previously played for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program are members of the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team currently competing in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Toronto and Montreal.

Through two pre-tournament games, four preliminary round matchups, a quarterfinal, and a semifinal, Team USA is undefeated and has outscored its opponents, 31-14.

The U.S. National Junior Team faces Canada tonight in the gold medal game of the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship in Montreal. The two teams, which met last Saturday (3-1, USA) are meeting in the gold medal game for the fourth time. Puck drop is slated for 8 p.m. ET and will be televised in the U.S. live on NHL Network. In addition, live updates also available on Twitter @USAHockey with the hashtags #USAWJC and #WorldJuniors.

MATTHEWS MAKING AN IMPACT: Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz./2013-15) recorded four goals in his NHL debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, Oct. 12 against the Ottawa Senators. This marks the most goals scored by a player making his debut in NHL history. 

Most recently, Matthews was awarded the NHL’s First Star of the Week when he led the NHL with 4-2-6 in three outings, all multi-point performances. Matthews scored twice, including his first career overtime goal, in a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic Jan. 1. The 19-year-old paces rookies in goals (20), points (32) and game-winning goals (t-3) through 36 contests this season.

NTDP REPRESENTATION GROWING: As of Dec. 7, 71 NTDP alumni have suited up for at least one National Hockey League game, up from 58 at this time last season. In the American Hockey League, 58 alumni have suited up for a game, up from 40 at this point last year. In the NCAA Division I ranks, 70 alumni have suited up for at least one game, up from 50 a year ago. 

• Eau Claire male athlete of the year: Ty Emberson did it all on the ice in 2016 (Eau Claire Leader Telegram)

• NTDP U18s rally in third for 6-3 win (Hometown Life)

• Hot or Not: Reinhart, Tkachuk lead U24 rankings; Centennial Classic features Matthews-Larkin showdown (ESPN.com)

• Auston Matthews rose to the Centennial Classic moment for rapidly maturing Maple Leafs (ESPN.com)

• Wisconsin men’s hockey grows under Tony Granato (SB Nation)

• NCHC Has Plenty of Talent in the IIHF World Championship (Best College Sports News Network)

• Team USA beats Russia at world juniors, goes to 3-0 (The Star)

• World Juniors 2017: Jeremy Bracco, the little Leafs prospect having a big tournament (The Athletic)

• Anderson brings heavy presence to top US line (Duluth News Tribune)

• You don’t want to get Team USA’s Jordan Greenway angry (The Hockey News)

• Mahopac's Steven Santini Recalled by Devils, Registers First NHL Point (Northwest Dutchess)

• As Labanc, Meier emerged, opportunities for Nieto dwindled (Mercury News)

• USA plays for gold after Troy Terry's shootout heroics vs. Russia (Yahoo.com)

• Canton's Greenway scores game-winnign goal for U.S. victory in world junior quarterfinal (Watertown Daily Times)