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U18s Open Home Schedule with Two Contests

By Becky Olsen, 10/08/15, 8:00AM EDT

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U17s Go Back on Road to Face the Minnesota Elite League

USA Hockey's National Team Development Program moved into a new home this season at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The U.S. National Under-18 team plays its first home games there this weekend.

HOME OPENER: The U18s open their home schedule with games against the United States Hockey League’s Chicago Steel at 7 p.m. Friday and then the University of Notre Dame at 2 p.m. Sunday. Both games will take place at USA Hockey Arena.

“This is going to be a special weekend for USA Hockey,” U18 coach Danton Cole said. “It’s exciting for us to open the home schedule with two quality opponents, including the University of Notre Dame. Our players and staff are excited for this weekend and to see all the great additions at USA Hockey Arena. We hope the fans will come out and support our team.”

The U18s split two college games over the weekend, falling 4-0 at Northern Michigan University on Saturday before rebounding with a 2-1 overtime victory at Lake Superior State University on Sunday.

Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) made 11 saves at NMU. Patrick Khodorenko (Walnut Creek, Calif.) tallied the game winner against LSSU. Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.) had the other goal while Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo.) finished with 26 saves in his first start of the season.

“It’s great to get that first win for our college schedule,” Cole said. “The guys competed hard and came back to earn the hard-fought win at LSSU.”

OFF TO NEW HOPE: The U17s head back on the road for a pair of games against the Minnesota Elite League. The team will travel to New Hope (Minn.) Ice Arena for games on Saturday and Sunday. Face-off is set for 12:30 p.m. ET both days.

The U17s posted a 6-3 win at Muskegon on Saturday to earn their first USHL victory. Six different players scored in the victory including Joey Cassetti (Pleasanton, Calif.), Michael Pastujov (Bradenton, Fla.), Logan Cockerill (Brighton, Mich.), Brady Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo.), Grant Mismash (Edina, Minn.) and Sean Dhooghe (Aurora, Ill.). Goalie Adam Scheel (Lakewood, Ohio) had 56 saves.

“It was great to get a hard-earned victory on Saturday,” U17 coach Don Granato said. “Our players had to battle to earn that win. It is always a good feeling to get that first USHL victory. Now we need to get back to work on the ice and in the weight room to get ready for this upcoming week in Minnesota.”

Notebook

  • Notre Dame’s roster features five former NTDP players in forwards Anders Bjork (Mequon, Wis./2012-14), Dawson Cook (Cadillac, Mich./2011-13), Thomas Di Pauli (Woodridge, Ill./2010-12) and Joe Wegwerth (Brewster, N.Y./2012-14), plus defenseman Andy Ryan (Brighton, Mich./2009-11).

  • Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson helped start the NTDP in Ann Arbor, serving as the head coach from 1997-2000. He also coached Team USA to a silver medal at the 1997 IIHF World Junior Championships.

  • U17 forward Graham Slaggert (South Bend, Ind.) is the son of Notre Dame associate coach Andy Slaggert.

  • Kieffer Bellows was selected as the USHL Forward of the Week for the week of Sept. 21-27. He recorded a hat trick and four points in the U18s’ win at Muskegon on Sept. 26.

  • The U17s had an opportunity to watch the St. Louis Blues practice on Saturday at Yost Ice Arena and spoke with former NTDP defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (New Rochelle, N.Y./2005-07). Click here for video from the event.

  • The U18s carry a 4-3 mark into this week’s action.

  • Clayton Keller (3-6) sits atop the U18 leader board with nine points. Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minn./5-2) is second with seven points while Trent Frederic (St. Louis, Mo./4-1) is third with five points. Chad Krys (Ridgefield, Conn./0-4) and Adam Fox (Jericho, N.Y./0-4) round out the top five with four points each.

  • In goal for the U18s, Jake Oettinger is 3-3 with a 3.01 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage. Joseph Woll is 1-0 with a 0.94 GAA and a .962 save percentage.

  • The U17s carry a 2-3-1 (W-L-OTL) record into this week’s action.

  • There is a seven-way tie among the U17s as each player has four points. They are Joey Cassetti (4-0), Logan Cockerill (2-2), Michael Pastujov (2-2), Logan Hutsko (North Caldwell, N.J./1-3), Brady Tkachuk (1-3), Nate Knoepke (Farmington, Minn./0-4) and Scott Reedy (Prior Lake, Minn./0-4). Cassetti paces the U17s with four goals.

  • Dylan St. Cyr (Northville, Mich.) and Adam Scheel split time in goal for the U17s. St. Cyr is 0-2-1 with a 4.91 GAA and an .845 save percentage. Scheel is 2-1 with a 3.89 GAA and a .916 save percentage.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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