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U18s At Fall Classic and Open Up NCAA Schedule

By USAHockeyNTDP.com, 09/28/17, 3:00PM EDT

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USA Hockey National Team Development Program Notebook

Photo by Rena Laverty

NTDP Notebook Week of Sept. 25-Oct. 1

USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program has started the season a perfect 5-0-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL-T) after picking up three victories last weekend. The U18s have a busy weekend as they will face the Central Illinois Flying Aces (Friday, Sep. 29) and the Omaha Lancers (Saturday, Sep. 30) in the USHL Fall Classic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before ending their weekend at the University of Notre Dame (Sunday, Oct. 1). The Under-17 team will look to continue its scoring streak (23 goals in the past 3 games) but will have a break this weekend and don’t return to action until they face the Chicago Steel at 7:05 p.m. CT at Fox Valley Ice Arena on Saturday, Oct. 7.

U18s Matchups

Friday @ Central Illinois Flying Aces

Puck Drop: 4 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Saturday @ Omaha Lancers

Puck Drop: 10:45 a.m.

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Sunday @ University of Notre Dame 

Puck Drop: 5:05 p.m.

Live Stats

 

Matchup Previews

USHL FALL CLASSIC: The Under-18 team is set to compete in the United States Hockey League (USHL) Fall Classic where they will start against the Central Illinois Flying Aces on Friday (Sep. 29) at 4:00 p.m. ET followed by a game on Saturday (Sep. 30) against the Omaha Lancers at 10:45 a.m. ET. Both games will be played at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Center in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. HockeyTV.com will be broadcasting all games for the USHL Fall Classic. 

The Central Illinois Flying Aces, formerly known as the Bloomington Thunder are 2-0-0-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) in the preseason heading into the USHL Fall Classic. The Flying Aces posted victories against the Muskegon Lumberjacks (4-1) and the Chicago Steel (5-2) last weekend. Last season, the Flying Aces ended the season with a record of 25-27-5-3 (W-L-OTL-SOL). Vladislav Dzhioshvili led the team in scoring last season (19-23-42) in 58 games. Christiano Versich led the team in assists with 27 in 61 games. Goalies, Logan Holladay and Gabriel Mollot-Hill recorded a combined record of (24-27-5-3) in 61 games. They combined for a 2.86 goals-against-average and a .899 save-percentage last season. The U.S. National Team Development Program defeated the Flying Aces in the last matchup on March 25, 2017 with a 6-0 victory.

The Omaha Lancers are 3-2-0-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) after five games played this preseason before entering the USHL Fall Classic. The Lancers have defeated the Tri-City Storm (3-1), Lincoln Stars (5-3) and Sioux City Musketeers (3-0). During the 2016-17 season, the Lancers finished 20-31-5-2. Filip Rydstrom led the team with 34 points in 51 games (10-24-34). Tommy Nappier was between the pipes for all 43 games during the season posting a record of (20-17-5-1) while posting a 3.12 goals-against-average and a .887 save-percentage last season. The Lancers hold an overall record against the USA Hockey National Team Development Program of 12-6-1. The last meeting was on November 26, 2016 where the Lancers won 6-3.

NCAA OPENER: The U.S. National Under-18 team opens its NCAA schedule against the University of Notre Dame, ranked eighth in the nation, on Sunday (Oct. 1) at Compton Family Ice Arena at 5:05 p.m. ET. The U18s hold a series record of 1-4-2 against the Fighting Irish. The last matchup between the teams was held on October 2, 2016 at Compton Family Ice Arena as Notre Dame took a 5-1 victory. New York Islanders draft selection Logan Cockerill (Brighton, Mich./2015-17) scored the lone goal for the NTDP in the matchup.

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Notes

 NTDP-UND CONNECTION: Prior to the 2017-18 season, the National Team Development Program had sent 33 players on to the University of Notre Dame, including current NHL players Ian Cole, Anders Bjork, Robbie Russo, and Bryan Rust along with current U17s head coach, John Wroblewski. One former NTDP player is now with the Fighting Irish: Goaltender, Dylan St. Cyr (2015-17/Northville, Mich.).

Currently, three players playing for the U18s are committed to play college hockey at the University of Notre Dame: Trevor Janicke (Maple Grove, Minn.), Jake Pivonka (Naperville, Ill.) and Spencer Stastney (Mequon, Wis.).

WARM UP: The U17s continued to light the lamp improving its record to 3-0-0-0 in the preseason. Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wis.) led the way to victory over the Austin Bruins, netting two goals as the U17s defeated the Bruins 4-3.  The U17s scoring transferred into its next game against the Minnesota Magicians as it earned a 7-4 victory. Cam York (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) and Caufield both recorded two goals each while Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Ill.), Danny Weight (Lattingtown, N.Y.) and John Beecher (Elmira, N.Y.) netted a goal of their own. Cameron Rowe (Wilmette, Ill.) and Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) split time between the pipes during both games recording a combined .816 save-percentage.  

The U18s came out victorious, 7-6 against the Muskegon Lumberjacks in a game that had to be decided in a shootout. Joel Farabee (Cicero, N.Y.) netted two goals in the matchup including the game-winner during the shootout to lift the U.S. National Under-18 Team over the Lumberjacks. Gavin Hain (Grand Rapids, Minn.), Jonathan Gruden (Rochester, Mich.), Patrick Giles (Chevy Chase, Md.) and Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.) added to the scoring. Jonathan Mor (Highland Park, Ill.) and Drew DeRidder (Fenton, Mich.) both shared time in net posting a combined .880 save-percentage on 50 shots on goal. DeRidder stood strong in net during the shootout as his final save sealed the victory for the U18s.

PLAYER FEATURE: Jonathan Mor talks about his unusual path to becoming a goaltender. Full story: http://bit.ly/2wTTfo5

ALL-AMERICAN PROSPECTS GAME: Seventeen NTDP players were selected for the six-annual 2017 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects game that took place Thursday, Sep. 21 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Brady Tkachuk (2015-17/Boston University) took home the Player of the Game award. Tkachuk buried the game-winning goal with 5:07 remaining in the game from Christian Krygier to put Team Leetch ahead 6-5 over Team Chelios.

NEW TICKET PACKAGES: The NTDP is offering several new season ticket packages for the 2017-18 season. These new packages include the College Six Pack, Youth Pass and Adult Hockey Package. More information is available here USAHockeyArena.com or by calling 734.453.8400.

HOME OPENER COUNTDOWN: The countdown is at two and a half weeks until the U.S. National Under-18 Team welcomes Miami University (OH) to USA Hockey Arena for the NTDP home opener. The showdown with the RedHawks is Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. ET. Follow the countdown on the NTDP social channels. Tickets for the season opener and all single games are available here.

NCAA OPPONENT PRESEASON RANKINGS: Boston University is ranked 2nd, Harvard University is ranked 4th, University of North Dakota is ranked 7th, University of Notre Dame is ranked 8th, and Minnesota State University is ranked 18th in the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine preseason polls. Miami University (OH) received 37 votes, University of Michigan received 24 votes, and Ferris State University received five votes, and Dartmouth College  received one vote in the preseason poll voting. Adrian College is ranked 4th and Utica College is ranked 15th in the Division III preseason rankings according to the USCHO.com poll.

 U18S NCAA SCHEDULE: The U.S. National Under-18 Team will skate in 15 NCAA games this season, including 11 tilts with Division I squads. The U18s will face the University of Notre Dame, who was recently ranked 8th in the nation for the preseason poll, this weekend on Sunday (Oct. 1). The U18s open up home play against Miami University (OH) on Friday, Oct. 13 before continuing their NCAA journey against Dartmouth College (Oct. 20), Harvard University (Oct. 21), Adrian College (Oct. 28), Adrian College at home (Nov. 22), Lake Superior State University (Nov. 25), University of Michigan at home (Dec. 2), Michigan State University at home (Dec. 16), University of North Dakota (Dec. 30), Farris State University at home (Jan 2.), Boston University (Jan. 5), Utica College will be the final home NCAA game on (Jan. 7), before they hit the road to take on St. John’s University (Jan. 26), and  finishing with Minnesota State University on Jan. 27.

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