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U18s Host Waterloo; U17s On Road in Green Bay

By usahockeyntdp.com, 03/02/17, 1:45PM EST

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USA Hockey National Team Development Program Notebook

Photo by Rena Laverty

NTDP Notebook Week of Feb. 27 - March 5

The U18s host Waterloo for a pair of 7 p.m. ET matchups on Friday (March 3) and Saturday (March 4) at USA Hockey Arena.

The NTDP is coming off two matchups in the 2017 North American Hockey League Top Prospects Tournament at USA Hockey Arena on Monday and Tuesday. The Under-17 and Under-18 teams were mixed to play in the games.

Monday, the NAHL South All-Stars defeated the NTDP, 3-2. Tuesday, the NAHL Selects defeated the NTDP, 6-5, in overtime. Goal highlights can be found here.

Prior to the NAHL Tournament, the U18s hosted Arizona State University for a pair of matchups at USA Hockey Arena on Friday (Feb. 24) and Saturday (Feb. 25). The U18s took down the Sun Devils, 5-3, in their first matchup to extend their winning-streak to eight games before falling on Saturday, 6-3, to see their streak end. Highlights for both of these games can be found here.

The U17s travel to Green Bay for a pair of USHL matchups with the Gamblers on Friday (March 3) and Saturday (March 4) at 8:05 p.m. ET at the Resch Center. 

The U17s are coming off a 4-1 road loss to Cedar Rapids last Friday (Feb. 24). 

U17s Matchup

Friday @ Green Bay Gamblers

Puck Drop: 8:05 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

Saturday @ Green Bay Gamblers

Puck Drop: 8:05 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

U18s Matchups

Friday vs. Waterloo Black Hawks

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

Saturday vs. Waterloo Black Hawks

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Stream: HockeyTv.com

Live Stats

Tickets

Matchup Previews

BEATING THE BLACK HAWKS: The Waterloo Black Hawks will make their first-ever appearance at USA Hockey Arena on Friday night. Their last road matchup with the NTDP was on March 6-7, 2015, at Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

Playing out of the USHL’s Western Conference, the Black Hawks currently sit in second place with 66 points and a record of 31-12-2-2 (W-L-OTL-SOL). The Black Hawks are unbeaten in regulation in their past 15 games (13-0-2-0).

The Black Hawks are led offensively by Nick Swaney who currently sits tied for third in scoring in the USHL with 46 points  (21-25-46) in 42 games. Newly acquired forward Alex Limoges has put up 10 points (3-7-10) in his first seven games with the Black Hawks. He currently sits tied for eighth in USHL scoring with 41 points (15-25-41) in games with Tri-City and Waterloo this season.

Robbie Beydoun has carried the workload between the pipes, amassing a record of 21-9-2-2 with a 2.33 goals-against-average and .916 save-percentage in 36 appearances. Backup Pete Thome, who has skated for the Omaha Lancers and Chicago Steel this season, is 3-1-0-1 in five appearances with Waterloo.

GRAPPLING THE GAMBLERS: The U.S. National Under-17 Team and Green Bay Gamblers are meeting for the first time this season. Previously, the Gamblers traveled to USA Hockey Arena on Jan. 13-14 for a pair of matchups with the U18s, in which the U.S. earned a pair of wins (5-1 on Friday; 4-2 on Saturday).

Green Bay currently has two players in the top 20 scorers in the United States Hockey League. Forward Jared Spooner ranks 16th with 16 goals and 23 assists, followed immediately by defenseman teammate Connor Mackey who has five goals and 34 assists. Goaltenders David Hrenak and Maksim Zhukov have split time in net for the Gamblers this season.

Notes

GRUDEN MULTI-POINT PERFORMANCES: U17 forward Jonathan Gruden (Rochester, Mich.) has racked up two multi-point games in his last three appearances. On Feb. 18 against the Youngstown Phantoms, he put up a goal and an assist, and he scored twice in Tuesday’s NAHL Selects showdown. He ranks first among players on the U.S. National Under-17 Team’s roster for this weekend in goals with 13. 

HAT TOSS FOR REEDY: U18s forward Scott Reedy (Prior Lake, Minn.) netted three goals for the U.S. National Under-18 Team in its matchup with Arizona State last Saturday. Reedy has 36 points (17-19-36) for the U18s this season. Watch highlights of his hat trick here.

PLUS-GAME: U18 forward Evan Barratt (Bristol, Pa.) currently leads all U18 forwards with a +17 plus-minus rating in 46 games this season. He also ranks third on the team in points (38) and second in assists (25). 

NHL ROOKIE SCORING LEADERS: NTDP alumni account for four of the top ten rookie scoring leaders so far this season. Auston Matthews (2013-15/Toronto Maple Leafs) currently sits one point behind Winnipeg's Patrick Laine in the standings with 55 points (31-24-55) in 62 games this season. Matthews' former teammate Matthew Tkachuk (2013-15/Calgary Flames) currently sits fifth with 41 points (11-30-41) through 60 games. 

Others in the top ten include blueliners, Zach Werenski (2013-15/Columbus Blue Jackets) and Brady Skjei (2010-12/New York Rangers) who have racked up 37 (9-28-37) and 30 (3-27-30) points respectively.

NCAA UPDATE: Hunter Miska (2011-13) earned his second National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Rookie of the Month Award of the 2016-17 season for his play during the month of February for the University of Minnesota Duluth.

In his six appearances during the past month, Miska compiled a 1.76 goals against average and an NCHC-leading .933 saves percentage while going unbeaten (3-0-3). He also posted his school record-tying fifth shutout of the season on Feb. 4 -- a 5-0 takedown of the University of Nebraska Omaha at AMSOIL Arena -- and wound up allowing just seven even-strength goals in 375:00 of work.

He also won the award for the month of January.

NHL TRADE DEADLINE ACTION: Several NTDP alums were part of NHL Trade Deadline deals over the past few days. 

Most notably, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (2005-07), along with goaltender Pheonix Copley, was traded to the Washington Capitals on Monday evening. In return, the St. Louis Blues received Zach Sanford, Brad Malone, a 2017 1st-Round Pick and conditional 2019 2nd-Round Pick. 

Patrick Eaves (2000-02), was traded to the Anaheim Ducks by the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional 2017 2nd-Round Pick. 

Goaltender Joe Cannata (2007-08) was traded to Colorado by Washington. 

The Colorado Avalanche's trade of forward Jarome Iginla to the Los Angeles Kings opened a roster spot for NTDP alum J.T. Compher (2011-13), who was recalled Wednesday. 

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