U18s Fall to Muskegon, 5-2

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

U18s Fall to Muskegon, 5-2

By USA Hockey's NTDP, 01/30/26, 9:15PM EST

Team USA turns to 2026 U18 Five Nations Tournament

Photo by Rena Laverty

PLYMOUTH, Mich. - In its final home game before international break, the U.S. National Under-18 Team fell to the Muskegon Lumberjacks, 5-2, tonight inside USA Hockey Arena.

The U.S. got off to a quick start as Jamie Glance (Stratham, N.H.) put the U18s on the board at 1:08. A Muskegon turnover placed the puck on the blade of Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.), who sent it to Logan Stuart (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), the back to Meyer followed by Glance who fired it past starting Muskegon netminder Carl Axelsson.

Box Score

Highlights

Muskegon, however, knotted things up at 11:54 as the teams headed into the locker room tied, 1-1.

Mikey Berchild (Minnetonka, Minn.) regained Team USA's lead at 12:44 of the middle frame for his 12th goal of the year. On the rush, Wyatt Cullen (Moorhead, Minn.) streaked on the wing with the puck and found Berchild at the doorstep for a tap-in goal.

The Lumberjacks nearly tied things up at 14:59, but starting U.S. netminder Luke Carrithers (Maple Grove, Minn.) stretched out to deny the opportunity.

The Lumberjacks opened the third with three-straight goals to take the lead as it tied the game :51 seconds in, and scored a pair :59 seconds apart.

The U.S. emptied its net at 17:22 of the third, on the power play, to skate 6-on-4, with 2:38 left to play. The Lumberjacks killed its penalty and scored on the empty net to account for the 5-2 final.

Carrithers stopped 21 shots in net.

Team USA now turns to the 2026 U18 Five Nations Tournament in Kloten, Switzerland, set for Feb. 5-8. The U18s kick off the tournament against Czechia Thursday (Feb. 5), with puck drop set for 9:30 a.m. ET.

The U18s return back to USA Hockey Arena Friday, March 20 as it'll host the Waterloo Black Hawks for its annual Military Appreciation Weekend. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET and tickets are available at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix or by calling the box office at 734-453-8400.