YOUNGSTOWN PHANTOMS: The U.S. National Under-18 Team hosts the Youngstown Phantoms in a mid-week matchup at USA Hockey Arena. The two teams last squared off in a three-in-three series in January. The U18s won the first contest, 6-3, before falling, 2-5, in the second outing. The U.S. rounded out the weekend against the Phantoms with a 4-3 overtime victory.
The Phantoms enter the series 6-21-3-2 in the USHL, sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. Youngstown meet the U18s after suffering a series sweep to the Green Bay Gamblers last weekend.
MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS: After their stint with the Phantoms, the U18s hit the road for Muskegon, Michigan to take on the Lumberjacks. The teams last met in January when the U18s downed the Jacks, 7-3, at USA Hockey Arena.
The Lumberjacks are 22-12-1-2 in the USHL standings, good for second in the Eastern Conference. The Lumberjacks last took on the Steel, splitting the series.
CHICAGO STEEL: In their lone game of the weekend, the U17s round out Team USA's weekend against USHL opponents with a Sunday matinee against the Chicago Steel. The two teams most recently faced off in February when the U.S. narrowly fell to the Steel, 4-3, at USA Hockey Arena.
The Steel are the top-ranked team in the USHL's Eastern Conference with a 25-9-3-0 record. Chicago skaters take up the top four spots in league scoring this season, with former NTDP forward Sean Farrell claiming the top spot with 22 goals, 48 assists and 70 points in 37 games.