U18s Close Out Weekend with Loss Against #1 Western Michigan, 7-0

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

U18s Close Out Weekend with Loss Against #1 Western Michigan, 7-0

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 10/04/25, 8:45PM EDT

Team USA heads to University of Wisconsin Thursday

Photo by Rena Laverty

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The U.S. National Under-18 Team fell to the Western Michigan Broncos, the NCAA defending national champions , 7-0, tonight inside Lawson Arena.

Western Michigan nearly got on the board near the midway mark of the first but Luke Carrithers (Maple Grove, Minn.) made a pair of sprawled out saves to keep it at zeroes. Western eventually put one through though with 3:32 to go with a shot from atop the offensive faceoff dot as its power play was expiring.

The Broncos aimed to go up a pair with :38 seconds to play, but Carrithers dove from one post to the other to glove a shot and keep it 1-0 after 20. Carrithers was tested early as he turned aside 19 shots in the first period alone.

Box Score

The Broncos opened the second period up with a goal off a rebound to make it 2-0 1:06 into the frame. Carrithers continued to keep the game close as he made a handful of saves and halted a scoring chance off a rebound12:02 into play. Western converted though and eventually scored off a rebound 3:06 later to make it 3-0 heading into the third.

The Broncos tallied a trio of goals 2:10 apart early in the third to make it 6-0, and added another at the 10:07 to account for the 7-0 final.

Carrithers finished the game with 42 saves.

The U18s continue the Kroger College Series Thursday (Oct. 9) as it travels to the University of Wisconsin. Puck drop from Kohl Center is set for 8:00 p.m. ET. The U18s return to USA Hockey Arena Oct. 17 to continue its home slate of the Kroger College Series to face Lake Superior State University at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tickets for the game, and all home games this season, are available at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix or by calling the box office at 734-453-8400.