MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS: The Under-17 Team makes its debut at USA Hockey Arena as they host in-state rival Muskegon.

The Lumberjacks come into the weekend with a 2-2-2-1 record in seven games played, good for seven standings points and fifth place in the USHL's Eastern Conference, one point ahead of Team USA.

Muskegon has netted just 15 goals in their seven games, getting three scores apiece from Tynan Lawrence and Davis Borozinskis. Lawrence (3G-2A) and Jack Galanek (2G-3A) pace the attack with five points each.

Cameron Aucoin has four points, all assists, on the year to lead the blueliners in scoring while Jake Toll has added three points (1G-2A) in addition.

Russian netminder Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev has been one of the league's best, as his .932 save percentage ranks fifth among goalies with atl least four games played and his 1.97 goals-against average is even better at second, within the same qualifiers.

This weekend marks the first two of six overall contests between the Lumberjacks and U17s this season, with four of the six coming on home ice at USA Hockey Arena. 

HARVARD CRIMSON: The U18s travel to Beantown for a pair of NCAA contests, beginning Friday night at Harvard. The Crimson have yet to play any games and will open up their exhibition slate against the NTDP.

Harvard's roster features four NTDP alums, all forwards, with Marek Hejduk, Ryan Fine, Salvatore Guzzo and captain Zakary Karpa. 

The Crimson are in a situation that very few other collegiate programs can say the same, as they return their 15 leading scorers from 2023-24. 

Joe Miller, a Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick, led last year's team with 13 goals, 14 assists and 27 total points, and is back for his junior season. Helping him up front is Seattle Kraken selection Ben MacDonald (5G-10A in 2023-24), Anaheim Ducks selection Michael Callow (3G-12A) and Cameron Johnson (4G-12A).

Defenseman Ryan Healey was the team's second-leading scorer from last season as he posted nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. Healey, who had an eight-game stay with the NTDP back in 2020-21, is a 4th-round pick of the Minnesota Wild. 

Between the pipes, Finnish netminder and Vancouver Canucks pick Aku Koskenvuo is the lone returner. Last season, he posted a 5-6-4-2 record, 2.95 GAA and .901 SV% in 17 appearances.

Harvard assistant coach Matt Gilroy in his first season on the Crimson bench, having spent the last two seasons with the NTDP.

The U18s will look to even the all-time series as the U.S. holds a 3-4-0 record going into Friday night. 

BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES: The U18s wrap their weekend Saturday night at Conte Forum with the third ever meeting between the NTDP and Boston College Eagles.

BC opened up its season with a non-conference matchup against Michigan State last weekend, splitting the pair with a 3-0 win on Friday and 4-3 loss on Saturday in East Lansing.

The Eagles netted six times over the two games, with four of them coming from NTDP alums - two from Will Vote and one each by Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault.

In addition to that trio, nine other NTDP alums grace the Boston College roster, including captain Eamon Powell, James Hagens, Aram Minnetian, Teddy Stiga, Brady Berard, Drew Fortescue, Andre Gasseau, Aidan Hreschuk and Will Skahan. Eight of the 12 alums are returners from last year's BC team that made it all the way to the NCAA Championship game. 

Leonard and Perreault, who both racked up 60 points last season, will be called on to replace some of the hole left by the departures of Will Smith (25G-46A) and Cutter Gauthier (38G-27A)  to the NHL. 

Additionally, Hagens, a projected top pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft, is expected to contribute offensively right away, as he picked up two points in two games over the weekend. 

In the BC net is standout sophomore Jacob Fowler, who won 32 games in 2023-24, with a 2.14 GAA and .926 SV% in 39 appearances.