MICHIGAN WOLVERINES:  The Wolverines come into the weekend after an impressive first half of the season that saw them ranked seventh overall in the latest USA Hockey Magazine Men's Coaches Poll.

Michigan hits the second half with a 12-7-1 overall record after splitting their last two series' of 2022 against Wisconsin and Michigan State.

The Wolverines' offensive attack is led by freshman Adam Fantilli, who has produced 26 points (11g-15a) in 16 games on the season. Mackie Samoskevich and NTDP alum Dylan Duke have pitched in with double-digit goals each, while TJ Hughes, Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley have all added double-digit points on the campaign.

On the back end, a trio of NTDP alums lead the charge for Michigan. Luke Hughes (3g-15a--18pts), Seamus Casey (4g-12a--16pts) and Jacob Truscott (1g-10a-11pts) top the scoring charts for team defensemen.

In net, Erik Portillo has taken 17 starts out of 20 games and played very well, earning an 11-6-0 record to pair with his 2.78 GAA and .909 SV%.

Michigan has five players on their roster at the World Junior Championship who will likely not be available to skate on Friday. They include the Canadian Fantilli, along with the American quartet of Hughes, McGroarty, Casey and Brindley.

The NTDP has won two of the previous three meetings in the series, but the NCAA squad did come back to earn a 4-3 overtime victory in the matchup from the 2021-22 season.

YOUNGSTOWN PHANTOMS: The U17s are set to square up with the Youngstown Phantoms for a home-and-home set for their first games of the new year.

Youngstown currently sits in sixth place in the USHL's Eastern Conference with 28 points, but just three points behind third-place Team USA.

The Phantoms have are led by a trio of forwards who already have 20 or more points this season. Newcomer Andon Cerbone, who has 10 points in seven games since being acquired by Youngstown, leads the team with 24 points (7g-17a) overall on the season in his time split between Omaha and the Phantoms. He's helped out by Shane Lachance, who has a team-high 17 scores and William Whitelaw, whose 23 points (12g-11a) ranks second among all rookie skaters in the league.

Andrew Strathmann has been one of the league's best defensemen  as his 20 overall points (1g-19a) ranks fourth for blueliners in the USHL. Chase Pietila has four goals and 13 helpers to create one of the top 'D' pairings.

Youngstown gives a pair of goalies split action in the crease. Jacob Fowler has played in 17 games with a 7-6-3-1 record, 2.99 GAA and .902 SV%. Colin Winn has appeared in 11 games and holds a 2.66 GAA and .889 SV%.

The two sides split the first pair of matchups back in late November in Ohio and will play two more sets of games after this weekend.

MERCYHURST LAKERS: Mercyhurst finished their first half with a 6-12-2 record and comes into the weekend on a three-game slide after dropping a pair of games at Sacred Heart over the holiday break.

The Lakers have five forwards who eclipsed the double-digit point mark on the year. The team is led by Rylee St. Onge and Kyler Head, who have netted seven goals apiece. Steven Agriogianis' eight assists leads the team, while Eric Esposito and Mickey Burns each have 10 points.

Cade Townend leads the team's defensemen with eight points (2g-6a).

Owen Say and Tyler Harmon have very equally split time in the cage thus far. Say has started 10 games with a 4-5-0 record, 3.43 GAA and .901 SV% while Harmon has posted a 3.38 GAA and .914 SV% in his nine starts.

Team USA is winless in three previous games against Mercyhurst, dropping the most recent game by a 7-3 final back at the beginning of last season.