USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program enters play this weekend with a 14-4-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL-T) record after the U18s split its games last weekend and the U17s added two victories. The U18s begin the weekend hosting the Cedar Rapids Roughriders at USA Hockey Arena on Friday night (Oct. 27) at 7 p.m. ET before traveling to fourth-ranked, Division III opponent, Adrian College on Saturday night (Oct. 28) at 7:30 p.m. ET at Arrington Ice Arena. The U17s are off to its best start in program history and will wrap up the weekend on Saturday (Oct. 28) against the Cedar Rapids Roughriders at 7 p.m. ET at USA Hockey Arena.

Overall Record: U18: 6-4-0-0-0 | U17: 8-0-0-0-0

Team USA USHL Record: 4-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL)

Friday, Oct. 27 Under-18 Team vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Steam: HockeyTV.com

Live Stats

Tickets

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Saturday, Oct. 28 Under-18 Team @ #4 (D-III) Adrian College

Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m. ET

Live Stats

Tickets

Saturday, Oct. 28 Under-17 Team vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTV.com

Live Stats

USAHockeyNTDP.com/Tix

DERAILING THE ROUGHRIDERS: USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program hosts the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders this weekend as the U18s begin the two-game series on Friday (Oct. 27) at 7 p.m. ET before the U17s wrap up the series on Saturday (Oct. 28) at 7 p.m. ET at USA Hockey Arena. Team USA enters the series undefeated through four games to begin the United States Hockey League season, while the RoughRiders enter the weekend with a 3-2-0-0 record. Despite only playing in four games, the NTDP has a league-leading 27 goals-for and currently sit in first place in the Eastern Conference. Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) (5-1-6) and Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) (2-5-7) of the U.S. National Under-17 Team, who have only played in three USHL games, rank among the top 10 in the USHL in points.

The NTDP and RoughRiders will meet for the first two of three meetings this season. Cedar Rapids leads the all-time series record of 22-13-2. Last season, the RoughRiders won two of the three matchups against the NTDP. Cedar Rapids is returning five players from its 2016-17 roster this season.

RoughRiders Top Scorers: Marek Valach (3-3-6 in 5 GP), Nathan Smith (1-5-6 in 5 GP) and Brian Chambers (0-4-4 in 5 GP)

RoughRiders Goaltenders: Jiri Patera (2-2-0-0 in 4 GP, 3.13 GAA, .910 SV%) and Blake Pietila (1-0-0-0 in 1 GP, 3.00 GAA, .912 SV%)

Team USA Top Scorers in USHL: Jack Hughes (2-5-7 in 3 GP), Cole Caufield (5-1-6 in 3 GP), Michael Gildon (4-1-5 in 3 GP), Alex Turcotte (2-3-5 in 3 GP) and Judd Caulfield (1-4-5 in 3 GP)

Team USA Goaltenders in USHL: Drew DeRidder (1-0-0-0 in 1 GP, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 SV%) and Spencer Knight (2-0-0-0 in 2 GP, 2.00 GAA, .943 SV%)

NTDP 2017-18 Overall Top Scorers: U18s: Oliver Wahlstrom (9-8-17 in 10 GP), Joel Farabee (8-5-13 in 10 GP), Bode Wilde (3-8-11 in 10 GP), Drew DeRidder (4-2-0-0 in 8 GP, 2.52 GAA, .921 SV%, 2 SO) U17s: Cole Caufield (11-2-13 in 8 GP), Jack Hughes (4-9-13 in 8 GP) Spencer Knight (4-0-0-0 in 7 GP, 2.51 GAA, .912 SV%), Cameron Rowe (4-0-0-0 in 7 GP, 3.45 GAA, .868 SV%)

2017-18 Schedule:

Oct. 27, U18s vs. RoughRiders, Oct. 28, U17s vs. RoughRiders, Jan. 19, U18s at RoughRiders

2016-17 Results:

Dec. 8, U18s vs. RoughRiders (W, 1-0); Jan. 20, U18s at RoughRiders (L, 6-3); Feb. 24 U17s at RoughRiders (L, 4-1)

Team USA All-Time Record vs. Cedar Rapids Roughriders: 13-22-2 Home: 9-9-0 Road: 4-13-2

CAGING THE BULLDOGS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team has won the last four meetings against Adrian College and holds the all-time series lead, 5-3-0 (W-L-T). The last matchup was on Nov. 19, 2016 at Arrington Arena as the NTDP defeated the Bulldogs, 8-3. The U18s goal scoring was led by Logan Cockerill’s (2015-17/Boston University) hat trick. Brady Tkachuk (2015-17/Boston University), Grant Mismash (2015-17/University of North Dakota), Josh Norris (2015-17/University of Michigan), Randy Hernandez (2015-17/Sioux City Musketeers) and David Farrance (2015-17/ Boston University) also recorded goals. Adam Scheel (2015-17/University of North Dakota) picked up the victory in net saving 25 of 28 shots on net. The Bulldogs have 23 players returning from the 2016-17 season.

Bulldogs 2016-17 Top Scorers in Division III: Trevor Boyd (19-17-36 in 29 GP), Cory Dunn (9-27-36 in 29 GP), Kyle Brothers (8-28-36 in 26 GP)

Bulldogs 2016-17 Goaltender in Division III: Kevin Entmaa (15-7-2 in 24 GP, 2.27 GAA, .911 SV%) and Dillon Kelley (5-0-0 in 5 GP, 2.22 GAA, .897 SV%)

U18s Top Scorers: Oliver Wahlstrom (9-8-17 in 10 GP), Joel Farabee (8-5-13 in 10 GP), Bode Wilde (3-8-11 in 10 GP)

U18s Goaltenders: Drew DeRidder (4-2-0-0 in 8 GP, 2.52 GAA, .921 SV%, 2 SO), Jonathan Mor (2-2-0-0 in 5 GP, 4.38 GAA, .872 SV%)

Past Results: (Results from USCHO.com)

Jan. 22, 2008, U18 vs. Bulldogs (OT/L, 6-5); Jan. 20, 2009, U18s @ Bulldogs (L, 5-4); Oct. 31, 2009, U18s vs. Bulldogs (OT/T, 2-2); Oct. 28, 2011, U18s @ Bulldogs (L, 6-4); Jan. 28, 2014, U18s vs. Bulldogs (W, 5-1); Dec. 31, 2014, U18s @. Bulldogs (W, 6-1); Nov. 25, 2015, U18s vs. Bulldogs (W, 4-1); Nov. 19, 2016, U18s @ Bulldogs (W, 8-3)

NTDP All-Time Record vs. Adrian College: 4-3-1  Home: 2-1-1 Road: 2-2-0

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GOING INTERNATIONAL: The U17 team will head to Dawson Creek, B.C. to patricipate in the Wolrd Under-17 Challenege. The U18s will fly to Hameenlinna, Finland to participate in the 2017 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament.

Both full tournament schedules can be found at USAHockeyNTDP.com.

FAST START: The NTDP is off to a fast start thanks to efforts by: Drew DeRidder (Fenton, Mich.), Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.), Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.), Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) and Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.).

DeRidder has earned two shutouts in his last four games while earning a .938 save-percentage and saving 106 of 113 shots. DeRidder’s shutouts came against the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Saturday (Oct. 14) in a 7-0 victory and Dartmouth College on Friday (Oct. 20) where the U18s won 3-0.

Farabee has tallied four goals and three assists in his last four games bringing his season totals to (8-5-13) in 10 games played.

Wahlstrom has tallied four goals, five assists and nine points in the last four games making his season totals (9-8-17) in 10 games played with a +6.

Caufield has tallied team-high 11 goals in eight games and is +7 on the season.

Hughes enjoyed a bit of internet celebrity after his highlight-reel goal against the Gamblers last Sunday night (Oct. 22). Hughes has collected four goals, five assists and nine points in his last five games.

SWITCHING SWEATERS: Drew DeRidder (Fenton, Mich.) and Graham Slaggert (2015-17/Cedar Rapids Roughriders) are facing their former 2016-17 teams this weekend. DeRidder was the Roughriders’ goaltender last season posting a record of 10-26-1-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) in 41 games played with a 3.27 goals-against-average and .890 save-percentage. DeRidder is off to a strong start for the U18s, recording a 4-2-0 record with a 2.52 goals-against-average and a .921 save-percentage. Former NTDP player and University of Notre Dame commit, Graham Slaggert, will be wearing the green and black of the Roughriders in his return to USA Hockey Arena this weekend. Slaggert registered 10 goals, 26 assists, and 36 points in 123 games played during his time with the NTDP. Slaggert has recorded a goal an assist in five games this season.

CAREER OVERVIEW: Oliver Wahlstrom has tallied 57 points (33-24-57) in 73 games played with a +8 plus-minus rating. Joel Farabee has tallied 62 points (33-29-62) in 74 games played with a +16 plus-minus rating.

LAST WEEK’S ROUNDUP: The U.S. National Under-18 Team opened last weekend with its first NCAA victory over Dartmouth College on Friday night (Oct. 20), 3-0 making its record 1-3-0 against NCAA opponents. Following a scoreless first period, Patrick Giles (Chevy Chase, Md.) opened the scoring for Team USA just 17 seconds into the second frame. Farabee picked up the primary assist while Jack DeBoer (Madison, N.J.) earned the secondary assist on the play. Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.) scored short-handed at the 14:38 mark of the second period when he capitalized on a breakaway opportunity with help from Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.). Ty Emberson (Eau Claire, Wis.) also earned an assist on the play. Bode Wilde (Birmingham, Mich.) finished the U18s scoring midway through the third period with assists from Farabee and DeBoer. Farabee led the U18s collecting three points during the game, scoring on a short-handed goal and picking up an assist on each of the other two U18s goals.

Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) netted two goals in the U17s 4-1 win against the Green Bay Gamblers Saturday night (Oct. 21) at USA Hockey Arena. Jack Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) intercepted a Green Bay pass in the slot and backhanded the puck over goaltender Jake Begley’s shoulder to put the U17s up 1-0 at 13:33 of the first period. Ryder Rolston (Birmingham, Mich.) extended the U17s lead at 14:50 of the first period with help from Matthew Boldy (Millis, Mass.). Henry Thrun (Southborough, Mass.) also had an assist on the goal. U17s goaltender, Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) finished the game with 38 saves.

Farabee and Adam Samuelsson (San Diego, Calif.) tallied goals and Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) recorded two assists for the U.S. National Under-18 Team in a 7-2 loss to No. 3 Harvard University on Saturday night (Oct. 21) at the Bright-Landry Center. With the loss, the U18s fell to 1-4-0 (W-L-T) against NCAA competition this season.

The NTDP remains the lone undefeated USHL team after the U.S. National Under-17 Team defeated the Green Bay Gamblers, 6-4 Sunday afternoon at USA Hockey Arena. Patrick Moynihan (Millis, Mass.) opened the scoring on the power play 37 seconds into the second period sending the puck in from the left slot. Caufield and Hughes had helpers on the goal. Caufield netted his team-leading 11th goal of the season at 13:57 of the second period on the power play to put the U17s back in front. Hughes tallied his second assist of the game and Drew Helleson (Farmington, Minn.) picked up his first. Hughes extended the U17s lead, 3-1 after a highlight-reel goal at 17:57 of the second period. After skating the puck around the offensive zone to the front of the net, Hughes sent the puck into the top corner over the blocker of Green Bay’s Maksim Zhukov. Michael Gildon (Plano, Texas) made it 4-1 shooting the puck in from left circle just inside the left goal post. Sean Farrell (Hopkinton, Mass.) added a goal at 14:23 with help from Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Ill.) to make it 5-2. The Gamblers added two in the final two minutes before Turcotte sealed the game, 6-4 at 19:38 of the third.

PLAYER FEATURE: Jonathan Gruden’s hard work and intensity is paying off. Full Story: USAHockeyNTDP.com

U18S NCAA SCHEDULE: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will skate in 15 NCAA games this season, including 11 tilts with Division I squads. The U18s record sits at 1-4-0 (W-L-T) against collegiate opponents. The U18s defeated Dartmouth College 3-0 on Friday (Oct. 20) before falling to Harvard University, 7-2. The U18s head to Adrian, Mich. this weekend to face Division III opponent, Adrian College (Saturday, Oct. 28) at 7:30 p.m. ET. Take a look at the latest USA Hockey/USA Today Men's College Hockey poll.

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