NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES: The Niagara Purple Eagles make their first ever trip to USA Hockey Arena as they take on the Under-18 Team on Thursday evening.

The game is the second all-time in the series after the collegians won by an 8-5 final on home ice back on November 18, 2023.

The Purple Eagles enter the contest with a 10-13-1 record, but winners of three straight after sweeping Canisius last weekend in a home-and-home set, garnering 4-2 and 6-4 victories.

Niagara is led by junior forward Jay Ahearn, whose seven goals, 12 assists, 19 points, four power-play goals and two game-winning goals all lead the team. He is aided by Carter Randklev and Tyler Wallace, who have also pitched in seven scores apiece.

Between the pipes, Erie, Pa., native Jarrett Fiske has taken the majority of time in net, playing to a 9-6-0 record, 2.58 GAA and .912 SV% in 15 appearances. Ryan Ouellette, a USHL product, has seen eight starts, racking up a 1-6-1 record with a 2.75 GAA and .904 SV% for the Purple Eagles.

YOUNGSTOWN PHANTOMS: The Under-17 Team gets a home-and-home set with the Phantoms this weekend, opening up Friday at USA Hockey Arena before playing the return game Saturday night in Ohio.

Youngstown sits in the middle of the USHL's Eastern Conference, skating to an 18-10-4-1 record through 33 games, good for 41 total points and fourth place in the standings.

The Phantoms are led offensively by NTDP product Charlie Cerrato, who has produced 25 points (3g-22a) in just 19 games played. The Fallston, Md., native's 22 assists leads the team and he has been a menace on the power play, producing a team-high 10 points with the man advantage.

Adam Pietila has notched 15 scores to lead Youngstown in goals, while Ryan Botterill (11), Miles Gunty (11) and Braiden Clark (10) have all reached double digits.

Andrew Strathmann is one of the league's most prolific defenseman as he is just under a point-per-game with 23 points (5g-18a) from 24 games played. Sascha Boumedienne (2g-16a) and Tory Pitner (7g-10a) have also been quite productive from the blue line.

The Phantoms roster a pair of qualified goaltenders in Owen Bartoszkiewicz and Colin Winn. The former has played in 20 games and produced an 11-6-3-0 record, 3.12 GAA and .889 SV%. Winn is 7-4-1-1 with a 3.56 GAA and .872 SV%.

Youngstown won its most recent game Sunday night, a 6-4 win in Green Bay, that snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Phantoms. The team is 3-4-2-1 over its last 10 games played.