MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS:  The Under-18 Team hosts the Muskegon Lumberjacks to open the week of play with Team USA's annual Kids Day game Wednesday morning.

Team USA and Muskegon are currently tied in the Eastern Conference with 25 points apiece, though Team USA holds three games in hand.

The Lumberjacks have four players participating in the World Jr. A challenge in Cornwall, Ontario and will not be available for the game. Forwards Jake Richard and Ethan Whitcomb and defensemen Gavin McCarthy and Nathan McBrayer are all suiting up internationally.

That leaves forward Cody Croal as the 'Jacks leading scorer with eight goals and 10 assists in 22 games. Tyler Hotson, Owen Mehlenbacher and Michael Callow fill out the depth scoring.

Tyler Dunbar paces available blueliners with 12 points (2g-10a) in 22 games for Muskegon.

Conor Callaghan is the one qualified goaltender for Muskegon and he has played to a 9-4-1 record, 3.27 GAA and .886 SV% in 15 appearances. Raythan Robbins is the latest addition to the team in net and has played in two of the team's previous four games.

CEDAR RAPIDS ROUGHRIDERS: The U18s continue their weekend with a back-to-back in two different Iowa cities, the first a Friday night contest in Cedar Rapids.

The RoughRiders are in 7th place in the Eastern Conference, just one point out of the final playoff position. The team comes in having earned seven of their last 10 possible points.

Cedar Rapids has four skaters that have taken on the bulk of the scoring. Forwards Zaccharya Wisdom (10g-12a) and Ryan Walsh (9g-13a) share the team lead in scoring while Dylan Hryckowian has pitched in 19 points in 20 games.

Eric Pohlkamp paces the defensive group with seven goals and 13 assists, while his 20 points leads all USHL defensemen in scoring.

The team has split its goaltending duties between Bruno Bruveris and Sam Scopa. Bruveris has seen action in 13 games with a 7-5-1 record, 3.19 GAA and .877 SV%. In 10 games, Scopa has played to a 2-4-1-1 record, 4.02 goals against and .860 save percentage for Cedar Rapids.

DUBUQUE FIGHTING SAINTS: The Under-18 Team rounds out its week with a Saturday night contest at Dubuque Ice Arena. The Fighting Saints come into the weekend just one point behind Team USA in the Eastern Conference.

Saints' leading scorer Ryan St. Louis, an NTDP alum, is participating at the Junior A Challenge and will not be available.

Dubuque retains defenseman Max Burkholder as its leading scorer as the Colorado College commit has produced 19 points (6g-13a) in 20 games played.

Michael Burchill (8g-10a), Max Montes (10g-6a) and Oliver Moberg (5g-10a) are the leading trio of scorers up front for the Saints.

Marcus Brannman has been impressive in net for Dubuque, earning a 6-4-0-1 record in 12 games with a 2.99 GAA and .911 SV%. He's backed up by Paxton Geisel, who has five wins in nine appearances.