PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Under-18 forward Frank Nazar III (Mount Clemens, Mich.) was named the USHL's Forward of the Week for Week 17 after a four-point performance Saturday night at USA Hockey Arena.

The local product made a beautiful individual play to put Team USA up 3-1 early in the second period. Nazar deflected a Capitols shot attempt, won the race to the loose puck and beat the defense down the ice before finishing with a pretty forehand-backhand-top-shelf shot. 

Nazar also assisted on both of Will Smith's (Lexington, Mass.) tallies and was part of a pretty tic-tac-toe passing sequence that ended with a goal from Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.).

Through 13 USHL games this season, Nazar leads Team USA with 10 goals and 20 points, while his 10 assists ranks second on the team. With a 1.54 points-per-game mark, Nazar ranks second in the league just behind leading scorer Stephen Halliday (1.59 PPG) of the Dubuque Fighting Saints. 

This is Nazar's second career award after collecting 2020-21 Week 3 Forward of the Week.

Nazar was most recently ranked 17th among Norht American Skaters on NHL Central Scouting's Midseason Rankings and represented Team Blue at the 2022 BioSteel All-American Game last week. 

Nazar is currently riding a four-game point streak in league play that has seen him accumulate eight points (4g-4a), including three in a row with multiple points.

HE'S BACK: U18 forward Charlie Stramel (Rosemount, Minn.) returned from an offseason injury to record a hat-trick in just his third game of the season on Saturday night.

Stramel completed the feat in just 9:01 of game action. His first came on a redirection of a Lane Hutson (North Barrington, Ill.) shot from the left point. He followed with a one-timer from the slot and finished the trio with a second-chance opportunity in front that he jammed through Madison goaltender Simon Latkoczy. 

The goals were Stramel's first points of the 2021-22 season after the 6-foot-3 forward recorded 32 points (15g-17a) in 50 games played last season.

Stramel was one of the underagers to skate with Team USA at the 2021 Under-18 Men's World Championship in Frisco & Plano, Texas, in April 2021, where he potted two goals and added a pair of assists.

An October 15 birthday, Stramel will not be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2023, where he is currently considered one of the top prospects available. 

GETTIN SMITTY WIT' IT: 2005-born Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.) has seen time with both the Under-17 and Under-18 Teams this season. Between both squads, the Boston College commit has connected for 18 goals and 16 assists in 37 total games, including a pair of goals in a three-point effort on Saturday evening.

Smith collected his first tally after Frank Nazar (Mount Clemens, Mich.) forced a turnover and fed Smith just outside the crease. He tried to drop a back-door pass but the puck deflected off a Capitols defender and in to make it 2-0 in favor of Team USA.

After assisting on the U18s' fifth goal of the night from Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.), Smith made a few jaws drop with his edgework that led to his second goal. Smith corralled the puck behind the attacking net, took a tour around the offensive zone and skated down the slot unabated to the goaltender. After no defender picked him up, Smith deked the goalie out of the net and finished with a sleek backhand flip into the open cage for his 18th tally of the season.

On the year, Smith's 34 total points leads all U17 skaters and ranks fifth among all NTDPers. 

OLYMPIC STAGE: Team USA announced its roster for the 2022 Men's Olympic Team that will compete in Beijing, China from February 3-20, 2022 and eight NTDP alums were named to the team.

From the 2002 birth group, goaltender Drew Commesso (Boston University), defensemen Brock Faber (University of Minnesota), Jake Sanderson (University of North Dakota) and forward Matty Beniers (University of Michigan) will once again don the red, white and blue sweaters.

Two players from the record-setting 2001 class will participate with defenseman Drew Helleson (Boston College) and forward Sean Farrell (Harvard University).

Additionally, forward Nick Shore (NTDP 2008-10 / Sibir Novosibirsk) and defenseman David Warsofsky (NTDP 2007-08 / ERC Ingolstadt), who was the captain of his U18 World Championship Team, will compete for the gold medal.