The U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams return to Ann Arbor, Michigan, after their respective Five Nations Tournaments. The U17s get right back into action with two United States Hockey League games this weekend while the U18s have a bye week.

RIGHT BACK INTO USHL PLAY: The U17s, fresh off a second-place showing at their final international tournament of the year, will host the Madison Capitals Friday and Saturday at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. Face-off is set for 7 p.m. ET both nights.

The U17s finished the 2015 Five Nations Tournament in Dmitrov, Russia, with a 2-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record.

They opened with a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic on Tuesday. Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) stopped 25-of-26 shots while Keenan Suthers (Macomb, Mich.), Joey Anderson (Roseville, Minn.) and Max Jones (Rochester, Mich.) scored the goals.

In the second game on Wednesday, Russia posted a 6-0 win as Joseph Woll (Dardenne Prairie, Mo.) finished with nine saves. The U17s rebounded with a 2-1 victor over Finland on Thursday. James Sanchez (Northbrook, Ill.) and Suthers tallied the goals while Oettinger made 30 stops.

Team USA closed out the tournament with a 2-1 shootout victory over Sweden on Friday. Jones scored in regulation, and Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.) scored the lone goal in the shootout. Woll stopped all three shooters in the shootout after stopping 27 total shots to earn the win.

WEEK OFF: Fresh off a second-place showing at the 2015 Five Nations Tournament, the U18s will enjoy a short break before returning to game action on Feb. 20 at the Madison Capitals.

The U18s opened tournament play with a 5-4 shootout victory over Sweden on Thursday. Jack Roslovic (Columbus, Ohio) tallied two goals while Caleb Jones (Frisco, Texas) and Brendan Warren (Carleton, Mich.) had single tallies. In goal, Luke Opilka (St. Louis, Mo.) kicked out 24 shots. In the shootout, Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.) and Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.) scored and Opilka stopped both Sweden attempts.

Russia recorded a 5-4 overtime victory in game two on Friday. Tkachuk, Nicholas Boka (Plymouth, Mich.), Luke Kunin (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Charles McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y.) tallied the goals. Michael Lackey (Washington, D.C.) made 15 saves between the pipes.

The U18s closed out the tournament with a 5-1 win over Finland on Saturday and a 6-2 win over the Czech Republic on Sunday. Against Finland, Jones and Christian Fischer (Wayne, Ill.) each tallied a pair of goals while Opilka finished with 13 stops. Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y.) had the other goal for Team USA. Matthews recorded a hat trick to pace the offensive attack against the Czech Republic. Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.), Steven Ruggiero (Kings Park, N.Y.) and Tkachuk also added goals. Opilka had 19 stops.

• Former National Team Development Program and current University of Michigan freshman forward Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich./2012-14) was named the Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Rookie of the Month for January 2015. He recorded seven goals and 14 points in six games.

• Six former NTDP players are among the 20 candidates for the 63rd Walter Brown Award, which is presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England. They are: goalie Thatcher Demko (San Diego, Calif./2012-13/Boston College), defensemen Matthew Grzelcyk (Charlestown, Mass./2010-12/Boston University) and Michael Paliotta (Westport, Conn./2009-11/Vermont) along with forwards Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass./2012-14/Boston University), Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass./2011-13/New Hampshire) and Frankie Vatrano (East Longmeadow, Mass./2010-12/Massachusetts).

• Team USA is a combined 13-19-0 (W-L-OTL) in USHL play this season.

• The U17s finished international play with an 10-1-0-4 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record and outscored opponents 57-27. The squad finished second in all three of its tournaments — the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Ontario in November, the Four Nations Tournament in December in Ann Arbor and the recent Five Nations.

• Clayton Keller (22-32) leads the U17s with 54 points. Joey Anderson (17-15) ranks second with 32 points while Chad Krys (Ridgefield, Conn./3-26) is third with 29 points. Nick Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla./13-14) and Adam Fox (Jericho, N.Y./3-21) round out the top five with 27 and 24 points, respectively.

• In goal for the U17s, Joseph Woll and Jake Oettinger share duties. Woll is 9-11 with a 3.00 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage while Oettinger is 8-11 with a 2.65 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

• Auston Matthews (31-31) leads the U18s with 62 points while Jeremy Bracco (18-38) is second with 56 points. Matthew Tkachuk (23-31) is third with 54 points. Jack Roslovic (11-30) and Christian Fischer (19-18) rounds out the top five with 41 and 37 points, respectively.

• In goal for the U18s, Michael Lackey and Luke Opilka split time. Opilka is 18-5 with a 2.92 GAA and an .883 save percentage while Lackey is 12-6-2 with a 2.90 GAA and an .887 save percentage.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.