BACK TO SCHOOL: After heading home for the holiday break, the U18s return to the ice with a pair of Kroger College Series games against perrenial powerhouses Minnesota and North Dakota.

Through 13 games of the 2022-23 Kroger College Series, the U18s are an impressive 11-2-0 overall, including 10 wins against Division I competition. Seven of the team's next nine games will come against NCAA opponents.

LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE:  Under-18 Team forward Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale, Ill.) used an impressive three-game week to take over the team lead in points from Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.).

Perreault began Wednesday morning with points on four straight goals for Team USA, potting two goals and adding a pair of assists to end a three-game pointless streak.

In Saturday's big win, the Boston College commit netted his team-leading 23rd goal of the season and added three helpers to give him 49 total points (23g-26a) in 29 games this season, good for tops on the U18s.

BACK TO BACK: The Under-17 Team returns to domestic play after winning the U17 Four Nations tournament in Switzerland prior to the holiday break.

After falling to the hosts in pre-tournament action, the U17s reeled off wins against Sweden (8-2), Slovakia (9-1) and Switzerland (4-2) to win its second international championship in as many attempts this season.

Forward Cole Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass.) led the team with four goals and seven points over the four games, while James Hagens (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and Max Plante (Hermantown, MInn.) chipped in three goals apiece.

Goaltender Jack Parsons (Cortland, N.Y.) earned a pair of victories in net, making 41 combined stops in wins over Sweden and Switzerland to lead the U.S.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Team USA earned a 5-2 win over Latvia to kick off the 2023 World Junior Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

All five goals came from NTDP alums as Jimmy Snuggerud, Chaz Lucius, Luke Hughes, Red Savage and Sean Behrens all found the back of the net.

Current U18 netminder Trey Augustine (South Lyon, Mich.) made 15 stops to pick up his first career World Junior victory.