ADRIAN BULLDOGS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team kicks off the holiday schedule with their annual game against the Adrian Bulldogs Wednesday night at USA Hockey Arena.

Adrian comes into the game with a 5-2-1 record and in first place in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA). The Bulldogs are ranked second overall in the USCHO Division III Men's Hockey poll.

The team is led in scoring by senior blueliner and Royal Oak, Michigan, native Jaden Shields, who has a goal and eight helpers for nine total points on the season.

Senior forwards Matthew Rehding and Connor May are tied for the team lead with four golas apice, while Zachary Heintz and Ryan Pitoscia have matched Rehding's seven overall points to sit tied for second on the team in scoring. 

Senior netminder Dershahn Stewart has started all eight games for the Bulldogs, en route to a 5-2-1 record, 1.99 goals-against average and .936 save percentage. Stewart made 26 saves in last year's matchup, a 5-4 win for Adrian at Arrington Ice Arena.

In the 19-game series history, Team USA owns a 13-5-0-1 record and has recorded 99 goals in that span.

STEVENSON MUSTANGS: The Under-18 Team finishes its two-game weekly slate with another Kroger College Series matchup, the first ever contest with Stevenson University out of Owings Mills, Maryland.

The Mustangs come in with a 5-2-1 record after a weekend sweep over Manhattanville College last weekend, featuring 2-1 and 3-1 wins for Stevenson. They have played one common opponent with the NTDP in Utica University. Stevenson went 0-1-1 during their weekend set in Utica, while Team USA took down the Pioneers by a 7-1 final.

Stevenson is paced in scoring by forwards Liam McCanney and Blake Benson. The former leads the squad with four goals in eight games, whlie Benson's five helpers leads the Mustangs to give both skaters six total points on the year.

On the back end, junior defenseman Malcom Palmer tops all defenders in scoring with five points (1g-4a) in eight games.

Tampa native Tyriq Outen has earned nearly all of the playing time in net, taking a 4-2-1record, 1.70 GAA and .947 save percentage into the game this weekend. This comes after Outen did not see any action while enrolled at Acadia University during the 2021-22 season and did not suit up anywhere last season.

YOUNGSTOWN PHANTOMS: The Under-17 Team takes the lone Team USA game of the USHL schedule this week, shaking off the Thanksgiving meal to take the short trip to Ohio for a matchup with the Phantoms.

Team USA looks up to Youngstown in the standings, who currently sit in second place in the league's Eastern Conference with a 12-4-2-0 record and 26 points.

They are led in scoring by NTDP alum Charlie Cerrato, who has produced 18 points (2g-16a) in just 11 games on the young season. His 1.64 points-per-game ranks third among all skaters in the league, and tops among non-NTDP players.

Forwards Ryan Botterill (9g-7a) and Michael Burchill (7g-9a) have both chipped in 16 points while Adam Pietila's 10 goals leads the Phantoms.

Tory Pitner leads the D-corps with 16 points (7g-9a), while Andrew Strathmann (3g-10a--13pts) and Sascha Boumedienne (1g-11a--12pts) have been very productive as well.

Owen Bartoszkiewicz has taken the bulk of time in net for Youngstown, earning a 9-2-1 record in 12 appearances, with a 2.14 GAA and .922 SV%. Colin Winn has backed up and gotten six games of action with a 3.29 GAA and .880 SV%.

The Under-17 Team looks to improve upon its last performance in Youngstown, a 12-0 final back on September 30. The two sides will meet again four more times throughout the season.