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All-American Prospects Game and NAHL Showcase Highlight NTDP Action

By USAHockeyNTDP.com, 09/21/17, 9:00AM EDT

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Several players from the U18s travel to Buffalo for the All-American Prospects Game while the U17s head to Minnesota for the NAHL Showcase.

USA Hockey National Team Development Program Notebook

Photo by Rena Laverty

NTDP Notebook Week of Sept. 18 – Sept. 24

USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program takes to the road this week as the Under-18 Team faces the Muskegon Lumberjacks at 7:15 p.m. ET at L.C. Walker Arena on Saturday (Sep. 23). The Under-17 Team travels to Minneapolis to compete in the 2017 North American Hockey League (NAHL) Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota where they will face the Austin Bruins and Minnesota Magicians. Both games are scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m. ET. Hockeytv.com will be broadcasting all the games on the weekend.

U17s Matchup

Friday vs. Austin Bruins

Puck Drop: 7:15 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

Saturday vs. Minnesota Magicians

Puck Drop: 6:45 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

U18s Matchups

Saturday @ Muskegon Lumberjacks

Puck Drop: 7:15 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

Matchup Previews

NAHL SHOWCASE: The U17s open the NAHL Showcase with a matchup against the Austin Bruins at the Schwan Super Rink on Friday evening at 6:45 p.m. CT. During the 2016-17 season, the Bruins finished with a record of 24-27-4-5.  Justin Misiak led the team with 60 points (25-25-60) followed closely by Travis Kohenbeutel with 57 points (23-34-57). Goalies, Alex Schilling and Jake Kucharski recorded a combined record of (22-26-4-5) in 58 games. They combined for a 3.19 goals-against-average and .894 save-percentage last season. The Bruins will be opening its season Thursday (Sep. 21) against the Northeast Generals before facing the U17s on Friday (Sep. 22).

The Minnesota Magicians will be matched against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs and Lone Star Brahmas before they face-off against the U.S. National Under-17 Team on Saturday (Sep. 23).  During the 2016-17 season, the Magicians finished with a record of 31-22-4-3.  Mitchel Slattery recorded a team high of 59 points (20-39-59) in 54 games. Ivan Prosvetov led the Magicians between the pipes recording a record of (21-15-1-3) with a 2.52 goals-against-average and a .928 save-percentage

TIMBERING LUMBER: The U18s travel to Western Michigan to take on its cross-state rivals, the Muskegon Lumberjacks, on Saturday (Sep. 23) at L.C. Walker Arena. The Lumberjacks are coming off a 4-1 loss against the newly named, Central Illinois Flying Aces (previously the Bloomington Thunder). During the 2016-17 season, the Lumberjacks finished third in he USHL’s Eastern Conference with a record of 37-18-3-2.  Zack Solow recorded the team high of 69 points (18-51-69) in 56 games. Chopping at his heals were Blake Lizotte with 65 points (19-46-65) in 56 games, Colin Theisen with 62 points (3-27-62) and Hank Crone with 62 points (24-38-62). Keith Petruzzelli and Adam Brizgala stood in net last season for the Lumberjacks putting a combined record of 37-18-3-2 in the book. Together they posted a 2.53 goals-against-average and a .913 save-percentage. Last season, the Lumberjacks won the overall season match-ups with a 6-2-0 record.

Notes

STARTING STRONG: The U17s and U18s opened its 2017-18 preseason play with a pair of matchups against the Minnesota Wilderness of NAHL last weekend. Friday, the U17s defeated the Wilderness, 12-1.  Alex Vlasic (Wilmette, Ill.) fueled the U17s victory by recording two goals and two assists for a game total of four points. Four other players tallied three points and five others had two points. Goaltenders, Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) and Cameron Rowe (Wilmette, Ill.) split time in net while recording a victory and allowing only one goal on 15 shots.

The U18s continued the strong start by earning a 7-2 victory on Saturday night. Erik Middendorf (Scottsdale, Ariz.) tallied two goals and one assist for a game total of three points to earn the game’s first star honor. Bode Wilde (Birmingham, Mich.), Jonathan Gruden (Rochester, Mich.) and Gavin Hain (Grand Rapids, Minn.) closely followed by recording two points in their performance against the Wilderness. Drew DeRidder (Fenton, Mich.) recorded the win while splitting the game in the pipes with fellow goaltender, Jonathan Mor (Highland Park, Ill.) and adding a combined save-percentage of .913 on 23 shots on goal.

HELLESON’S HEIGHT: This week Drew Helleson of the U17s talked about how his sudden growth spurt altered his plans as a hockey player. Check out the full feature story here.

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 or by calling 734.453.8400.

HOME OPENER COUNTDOWN: The countdown is at three weeks until the U.S. National Under-18 Team opens 2017-18 regular season play at USA Hockey Arena against Miami University (OH). Follow along the countdown on the NTDP social channels. Tickets for the season opener and all single games are available here.

COLLEGE PRESEASON WATCH LIST: USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program has ties with six players on the Big Ten college watch list, as selected by conference coaches. Quinn Hughes (2015-17/Orlando, Fl.), Will Lockwood (2014-16/Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), and Josh Norris (2015-17/Oxford, Mich.) represent the University of Michigan. Ryan Lindgren (2014-16/Minneapolis, Minn.) and Casey Mittelstadt (2015-16/Eden Prairie, Minn.) wear the University of Minnesota sweater followed by Trent Frederic (2014-16/St. Louis, Mo.) wearing the red and white of the University of Wisconsin. Lockwood, Hughes and Norris return to USA Hockey Arena on Saturday, December 2, 2017 as Team USA faces the University of Michigan at 7:00 p.m. They will be wearing the maize and blue rather than the red, white and blue for the first time at USA Hockey Arena since playing for the NTDP.

ALL-AMERICAN PROSPECTS GAME: Seventeen NTDP players were selected for the 2017 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects game which will be taking place Thursday, September 21 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Current U18s goalies, Drew DeRidder (Fenton, Mich.) and Jonathan Mor (Highland Park, Ill.) were among the four goalies invited. Ty Emberson (Eau Claire, Wis.), K’Andre Miller (Hopkins, Minn.) Adam Samuelsson (Carlsbad, Calif.), Mattias Samuelsson (Voorhees, N.J.), Spencer Stastney (Mequon, Wis.), Bode Wilde (Birmingham, Mich.), and NTDP alum Quinn Hughes (2015-17/Orlando, Fla.) were among the 14 defensemen invited. Of the 24 forwards invited to the game eight of them have NTDP ties including: Joel Farabee(Cicero, N.Y.), John Gruden (Rochester, Mich.), Gavin Hain (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Jake Pivonka (Woodridge, Ill.), Oliver Wahlstrom (Quincy, Mass.), Tyler Weiss (Raleigh, N.C.), Jake Wise (North Andover, Mass.) and NTDP alum Brady Tkachuk (2015-17/St. Louis, Mo.).

AROUND THE RINK: USA Hockey Arena started its Learn-to-Skate and Learn-to-Play sessions last week. Spots are still open for the seven-week course. More information is available by calling 734-453-6400 or visiting USAHockeyArena.com.

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